Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

The seventh meeting of the Joint Turkmen-German Working Group, the agenda of which included issues of increasing partnership in the trade and economic spheres, was held in Ashgabat.

The Deputy Minister and Head of the Foreign Economic Policy Department of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy of the Federal Republic of Germany Eckhard led the German delegation.

The two sides exchanged views on prospects for cooperation in the oil and gas, chemical and energy sectors, construction, transport and communications spheres, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry reported.

A discussion was held on the development of ties between the chambers of commerce and industry, the legislative regulation of business activities, holding of business forums and exhibitions.

The parties exchanged views on the prospects for the development of long-term cooperation, as well as the implementation of previously reached agreements, including the ones formed during the previous meeting held last April in Berlin.

They noted that among the key partnership vectors are the fuel and energy complex, where Turkmenistan, enjoying a huge resource potential, implements the strategy of radical modernization of the material and technical base of the industry, diversification of export routes for energy supplies, including in the European direction.

Among the issues of the meeting also was cooperation in the field of transport. In order to optimize the mutually beneficial partnership in this strategic area, initiatives are being taken to form transit and transport corridors North-South and East-West, as well as ongoing work in Turkmenistan to modernize the corresponding infrastructure and create a combined transport communications system.

Representatives of the German side expressed the desire of their companies to participate in major infrastructure projects, in particular, the reconstruction of the seaport in the city of Turkmenbashi and the creation in the Caspian of the national tourist zone Avaza.

In Turkmenistan, as of 2016, 167 investment projects and contracts involving German capital were registered for a total of $540 million and about 555 million euro.

German companies make a significant contribution to the implementation of long-term projects in Turkmenistan. Among them are such companies as Siemens, Daimler, Claas, Rohde & Schwarz, Dresser-Rand.

In October 2016, the Mejlis (Parliament) of Turkmenistan ratified the agreement with Germany on avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and property.

The document was approved at the fifth meeting of National Parliament. The signing ceremony was held within the framework of the two-day working visit of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Germany.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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