President of Ukraine Holds Talks in Turkmenistan
Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovich made an official visit to Ashgabat to meet with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. The two heads of states discussed political, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries singling out priorities in the oil and gas sectors, as well as the transport, construction, and tourism sectors. Yanukovich and Berdymukhamedov signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the State Corporation “Turkmengaz” and the Public Joint Stock Company “National Joint Stock Company Naftogaz of Ukraine,” a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in countering the laundering of proceeds from crime and financing of terrorism between the Ministry of Finance of Turkmenistan and the State Service for Financial Monitoring of Ukraine, an Agreement on Cooperation between the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan and the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, a Programme of Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for 2013, among other documents. Berdymukhamedov offered to host a summit under the auspices of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to discuss issues related to energy security.
Sources: Turkmenistan.ru, trend.az Ukraine Signs Tentative Natural-Gas Deal With Turkmenistan
Ukraine has reached a tentative agreement with Turkmenistan to resume imports of its natural gas; supplies were suspended in 2006. Ukrainian Energy Minister Eduard Stavytskyy told journalists in Ashgabat on February 13 that the agreement was signed after talks between Ukrainian President Yanukovych and Turkmenistan’s President Berdymukhamedov and that the deal would be finalized once it obtains the consent of Kazakhstan and Russia as transit states.
Sources: Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, gundogar.org President of the United Arab Emirates Holds Talks with Turkmen Counterpart
President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Turkmenistan on an official visit to hold talks with President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. The heads of state signed a cooperation program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates for 2013 and an Agreement on Cooperation in the field of standardization, meteorology, certification and accreditation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the United Arab Emirates. They also signed a Joint Communiqué, stating intent to expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector, refining and chemical industries, and renewable energy sphere and they discussed cooperation in trade and economy, as well as transport and communication sectors.
Sources: Turkmenistan.ru, trend.az Turkmenistan Pardons Seven Kazakh Citizens Convicted for Illegal Border Crossing
President Berdymukhamedov signed a decree to pardon and release seven Kazakh citizens who were all sentenced in November of 2012 to seven years of imprisonment. Seven Kazakhstani citizens, including police and immigration service officers, were detained by border guards from Turkmenistan’s Garabogaz border post in October 2012 for illegally crossing the state border and entering three kilometers deep into the territory of Turkmenistan. President Berdymukhamedov’s pardon comes within the context of the amnesty scheduled on Turkmenistan’s Flag Day on February 19.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
EU Assists Turkmenistan to Improve Higher Education System
The Turkmen National Institute of Economy and Management hosted a meeting with experts of the EU-funded Project “Erasmus Mundus Action 2 CANEM” – Central Asian Network of Economics and Management – a project implemented under an agreement between Turkmenistan and the European Union to develop Turkmenistan’s education system. The Erasmus Mundus Cooperation Window to Europe is an international academic program designed to foster exchange and cooperation in the field of higher education between EU countries and their partners. The program envisages scientific exchanges, the sharing of knowledge and experiences and the introduction of best educational practices and models.
Source: Turkmenistan.gov.tm Turkmen Entrepreneurs Study European Experience of Organizing Business
Ashgabat hosted the final conference for the participants of the “Turkmen-European Advanced Chamber EmpoweRment” (ТЕАСHER) project, launched two years ago to support small and medium size enterprises. Representatives of Turkmenistan’s Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Chamber of Commerce, as well as EU partners, including employees of the Institute for Economic Promotion of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, members of Austrian civic organization Hilswerk Austria, and German civic organization Segua, took part in the meeting. The project included a series of seminars and study tours in EU countries. Project participants learned the principles of starting and running private companies and prepared manuals for operating businesses.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru Turkmen and German Lawyers Discuss Cooperation in Legal Sphere
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan, and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) organized a forum to discuss cooperation between Turkmenistan and Germany in the legal sector. The forum brought together representatives of Turkmenistan’s Parliament, ministries and state agencies, including the Institute State and Law of the Civil Service Academy under the President of Turkmenistan, the State Publishing Service, higher educational institutions, public organizations and the media with international and local experts to discuss the theory and practice of copyright law as well as international law enforcement practices.GIZ brought in the following experts: Justice Joerg Pudelka, Professor Lado Chanturia, and trademark expert Nigina Negmatullaeva.
Source: Turkmenistan.gov.tm
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan Discuss Water Management
Representatives of Afghanistan’s Energy and Water Resources Ministry came to Ashgabat to discuss management of trans-boundary water resources.
Source: trend.az UNHCR Regional Coordinator for Central Asia Visits Turkmenistan
The United Nations High Commissioner’s for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional Coordinator for Central Asia Saber Azam met with representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss expansion of cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNHCR.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
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