The Trade and Industrial Chamber of Turkmenistan hosted International Media Forum, which was organized by the Foreign Ministry of our country and dedicated to the first Caspian Economic Forum in Avaza National tourist zone on August 12 this year.
Representatives of major world mass media news agencies, TV channels, newspapers and magazines from Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Russia, took part in the event. Heads and representatives of Turkmen ministries, departments and mass media have been invited to tell about coming events in our country to the journalists.
As is known, the initiative to hold the first Caspian Economic Forum in our country was proposed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the V Summit of the Heads of Caspian States.
According to the Head of the State, this Forum has to become permanent platform for multilateral economic dialog with wide participation of the members of the Governments, business and academic circles, representatives of international organizations and it has to be held on regular basis in each of Caspian states in turn.
It is worth reminding that it was our country, which proposed the initiative on the first Summit of the Heads of Caspian States.The Forum was held in Turkmen capital in 2002 and became the start point on definition of priority vectors of cooperation in near and long terms.
From that time, international negotiation mechanism was brought to entirely new level.Ideas that became the base of the documents adopted at following Summits have been proposed at the first Caspian Summit.
Inter-departmental Commission of Turkmenistan for Caspian Sea has been founded by the Resolution of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in April 2007.One of the objectives of the Commission was the development of the Convention of Legal Status of Caspian Sea.
Experts from different ministries and departments of Turkmenistan took part in this activity and relevant working groups were established .The outcomes of their work were used in negotiations on coordination of the Convention, which were held under the aegis of foreign ministries of Caspian states.
The second Caspian Summit was held in Tehran in October 2007 where the heads of Caspian states have signed the Declaration. Therefore, new dialog, which was started in Ashgabat, has received deserving continuation its outcomes became the basis of important decisions taken at the Summits in Tehran, Baku and Astrakhan in 2007, 2010 and 2014 accordingly.
Speaking at these meetings, Turkmen leader confirmed that our country has always occupied and would continue occupying active position in Caspian Sea affairs for provision of peace, security and stability in the region, consolidation of friendship, goodwill and wide cooperation between coastal states and their nations, which are united by centuries-old historical and cultural relations.
The fact that it was the initiative of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to develop important documents on the partnership in Caspian Sea, which was lately adopted, is a bright evidence of further practical measures in this direction.
It includes the Agreement on Cooperation in Prevention and Elimination of Emergencies in Caspian Sea and the Agreement on Protection and Rational Use of biological Resources of Caspian Sea signed by the outcomes of the IV Summit of Caspian States in Astrakhan in 2014.
At the same time, the package of final documents was supplemented with the Agreement on Cooperation in Hydrometeorology of Caspian Sea, which final coordination was actively supported by Turkmen side. The work on this document has been completed during the chairing of our country in the Coordination Committee for Hydrometeorology and Pollution Monitoring of Caspian Sea (CASPCOM).
All these years, Turkmenistan has been the place of regular meetings and forums on Caspian Sea of the authorised representative of Caspian states as well as international conferences dedicated to these subjects.
Two important documents the Agreement between the Governments of Caspian States on Trade and Economic Cooperation and the Agreement between the Governments of Caspian States on Cooperation in Transport, have been signed at the V Summit of Caspian Sea on August 12, 2018.
The development of these documents has been initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the IV Caspian Summit in Astrakhan.
Current media forum was opened with demonstration of video dedicated to opportunities and perspectives related to the first Caspian Economic Forum, which organization was initiated by the President of Turkmenistan.
It was mentioned that this event is one of the starting activities having strategic character in modern history of relations between Caspian states, which were provided by the signing of the Convention on Legal Status of Caspian Sea on August 12, 2018.
As is known, this fundamental document reflecting the results of many-year negotiation process between Caspian states is to open wide opportunity for the implementation of new investment projects in Caspian Sea.
The agenda of the first Caspian Economic Forum will cover wide circle of subjects, which will make the base of perspective directions of cooperation between participating countries in the future.
It is supposed that such current subjects as an intensification of trade and economic relations including creation of conditions for development and implementation of major international projects will be proposed for constructive discussion and exchange of opinions.
It is expected that discussions about the role of the economy of Caspian region in global scale, increment of growth factors of investment attractiveness in industrial, energy, trade, tourism spheres as well as other branches of the economy of Caspian states, which present mutual interest, will be held under the forum.
Undoubtedly, the first Caspian Economic Forum would support the exchange of views on the implementation of the Agreement between the Governments of Caspian States on Trade and Economic Cooperation and on Cooperation in Transport, which were signed on August 12, 2018 by the outcomes of the V Summit of the Heads of Caspian States.
Together with the main events, the programmes of International Conference and Caspian Exhibition of Innovative Technologies are elaborated. It is also planned to make favourable conditions for fruitful meetings and talks at the fields of the Forum between the representatives of the states, business circles and companies.
Delegations of Caspian states including the heads and members of the Government, heads of administration of coastal regions, representative of banking sector and business circles in interested countries, scientific personnel as well as top managers of the companies carrying out economic activity in Caspian Sea are invited to participate in the Forum.
Coming Forum is to give strong impulse to economic, trade and investment cooperation in Caspian Sea and neighbouring regions, turning Caspian Sea into one of the largest transport and transit hub of international significance, which plays an important role in the formation of new geographic economic space in Eurasia and meeting modern global tendencies.
Further , the journalists were introduced with the website, which would provide the participants of the Forum with the history of cooperation of Caspian states, regional and global importance of Caspian region and key information about coming event.
It was followed by the reports of representatives of different ministries and departments of Turkmenistan.It was mentioned that President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at the IV Summit of the Heads of Caspian States that expansion and improvement of economic relations of Caspian states mainly depends on regular contacts between government structures and business circles of our countries and made the proposal on the establishment of permanent Caspian economic forum with its sessions in coastal cities of Caspian states in turn.
The proposal of the head of Turkmen state was reflected in one of the articles of the Agreement adopted by the outcomes of the Summit.The document provides to hold Caspian Economic Forum for development and improvement of trade and economic cooperation of Caspian States, under which the countries would be able to organize the exhibitions, business forums, round table sessions and conferences.
The Agreement is to give new impulse to beneficial cooperation, to establish legal framework of cooperation in industry, agriculture, tourism and other branches of the economy of Caspian states, the speakers noted.
Having mentioned that coming Caspian Economic Forum would open new opportunities for further fruitful cooperation of Caspian states, the speaker confirmed that our country would continue putting all efforts fir further improvement of five-sided negotiation process.
It was noted at the plenary session of International Media forum dedicated to economic development of energy and transport systems of Caspian sea that supplies of Turkmen power energy to foreign countries are priority directions of energy policy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The Concept of development of power energy industry of Turkmenistan in 2013 - 2020 has been developed in April 2013 for the fulfilment of the objectives set out by the Head of the State.
According to the document, power stations, which at present moment fully satisfy the needs of consumers in the country and export the electricity to neighbouring including Caspian states, have been built.
The participants of media forum was familiarized in details with power infrastructure of Turkmenistan. The speakers noted that the first Caspian Economic Forum would let the countries of the region strengthen global energy security supporting the development of beneficial cooperation between our countries in this field.
Speaking of the development of cooperation in Caspian Sea, the participants of media forum noted that strategic location and all grandiose infrastructural projects, which are implemented under the leadership of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, make Turkmenistan to be the main player on new Silk Road connecting Asia and Europe.
Opening of modern Turkmenbashy International Seaport with numerous special terminals built on advanced technologies makes multiple increment of transit across the territory of our country become possible and is an investment to the infrastructure of entire Eurasia and the base for development of trade relations with Caspian states.
Opening of super modern seaport on Turkmen coast of Caspian Sea expanded the capabilities of local and foreign logistic companies.New port has automatic operation systems for loading, offloading and storage of cargos.
The work of port personnel and clients has been significantly facilitated.The port provides such services by international standards as refuelling, loading and offloading of cargo in open and indoor storages, packing of cargo, medical aid, freight forwarding, fire safety, pilot services, supervision, agent services, maritime services, towing, anchoring and other.
Turkmenbashy International Seaport opens the way to new commercial relations in the East West and North South directions. For this purpose, the facility is connected with railways and motor roads for fast and reliable services, which are the main logistic objectives, the participants of medial forum noted.
The speakers highlighted that national legislation is improved according to international requirements and big reforms are carried out in petroleum industry, health protection, science, education, agriculture and other spheres due to open door policy pursued by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
The Government of Turkmenistan took timely integrated measures aimed at support of competiveness of the branches and improvement of efficiency of the economy, diversification of foreign trade relations and development of private structures.
Caspian region occupies strategic geographic political location and has an ancient history, various cultures, richest human, natural and resource potential.At the same time, the states of the region have colossal reserves of natural gas, part of which is located in Caspian Sea or on the coast.
In addition, there are huge deposits of other mineral reserves, which joint development is able to provide significant growth of economic development of every Caspian state and creation of new working places in the region, the participants of the forum highlighted.
Under the first Caspian Economic Forum, it is planned to attract wide circle of the Governments’ members, experts, businessmen, scientific and academic personnel of Caspian states as well as international financial organizations and institutes for more grounded and comprehensive solution of the main economic issues and development of new efficient forms of cooperation.
Use of unifying factor of Caspian Sea for consolidation of efforts for the expansion of beneficial trade and economic cooperation including the development of stimulation mechanisms of rational use of natural resources, implementation of joint investment projects and programmes, exchange of practice in cooperation in economic spheres, establishment of joint ventures and active dialog of business circles is one the important objectives of Caspian Economic Forum, the participants of Media Forum noted.