Turkmenistan President, head of Turkey's ruling party discuss co-operation programme

President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov and leader of the Turkish ruling Justice and Development party Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the main parameters of the two countries' long-term co-operation programme in Ashkhabad on Thursday. The Turkish politician had arrived in Turkmenistan escorted by a big delegation that includes the Foreign Minister, the Energy Minister, the Culture Minister and the Interior Minister, as well as 150 Turkish businessmen.

At present, Ashkhabad and Ankara have signed over 110 contracts and inter-departmental agreements, according to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. Turkey is one of Turkmenistan's major economic partners, with last year's trade volume between the countries equalling $400 million. Over the past ten years, Turkish companies have invested $2 billion in the Turkmen economy. The republic has 400 functioning enterprises with the participation of Turkish capital. Among them are textile and building plants, hotels, oil and gas companies, transport, trade and energy enterprises.