Japan seeks closer ties with Turkmenistan
By Aynur Jafarova
Japan is interested in establishing close ties with Turkmenistan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after negotiations with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov who was on an official visit to Tokyo from September 11.
"Japan is keenly interested in establishing close ties with Turkmenistan which plays a key role in Central Asia, an important region on geopolitical map of the planet especially within the Central Asia plus Japan dialogue," the Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary (TDH) State News Service quoted the Japanese Prime Minister as saying.
The prospective spheres of interaction are the energy sector, transport and telecommunication and water industry.
In particular the Japanese partners develop proposals on the reconstruction of the international sea port in Turkmenbashi with reference to its transformation into an ultra-modern sea port.
During the meeting, the Turkmen president noted the shared principles and attitudes of the countries to a number of main problems of the modern world, which first of all concern the strengthening stability and security in the world, Central and South Asia and Asia-Pacific region.
According to Berdymukhamedov, Japan is one of the most important and reliable partners for his country.
"It is planned to sign a package of documents related to the construction of some large enterprises in Turkmenistan with the participation of Japanese companies. The total value of projects exceeds $10 billion," he said.
According to him, Turkmenistan targets to industrialize the country through the construction of new industrial enterprises, the use of high technologies and active attraction of foreign investments.
The Turkmen-Japanese cooperation is seen as an important component in the context of the development of relations between Turkmenistan and the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
"Turkmenistan and Japan strive to use their opportunities, as well as the geopolitical and geo-economic advantages to create favorable conditions for a positive regional dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation," Abe said.
Both Turkmenistan and Japan are interested in cooperation in various fields. The Japanese government believes that high technologies of Japan and rich natural resources of Turkmenistan are complementary.
Turkmenistan views the possibility of participation of Japanese companies in joint investment projects in petrochemical, gas processing, electrotechnical and other sectors of industry.
Japanese business circles show great interest to the establishment of full-scale cooperation with Turkmenistan.
Furthermore, Turkmenistan holds negotiations with the representatives of Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC).
A number of projects in Turkmenistan are implemented through JBIC commercial loans. The participation in the project for modernization of Fuel and Energy Complex, in particular, $1.6 billion worth modernization of the largest refinery plant of the country in Turkmenbashi is especially noticeable.
Within the visit a package of intergovernmental documents was signed as well.
These are agreement on technical cooperation, cooperation program between Foreign Ministries in 2013-1014, memorandum of mutual understanding between Turkmenistan's Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Social security, memorandum of cooperation between Turkmenistan's Ministry of Economy and Development and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, memorandum of mutual understanding between Turkmengas State Concern and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation.
Berdymukhamedov and Abe, in turn, signed a joint statement between Turkmenistan and Japan on new partnership.
The parties praised the role of the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation, Japan External Trade Organization, Japan Export Credit Agency, Japan Association for Trade with Russia and the Newly Independent States as well as bilateral committees on economic cooperation between the two countries on expanding bilateral trade, economic and investment relations.
Furthermore, during his official visit the Turkmen president held several meetings with the heads of major trade and financial structures of Japan.
The negotiators were President of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation Hiroshi Okuda, President of the Japan Export Credit Agency Kazuhiko Bando and President of the Japan Association for Trade with Russia and the Newly Independent States, Senior Executive Advisor to Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Corporation Takashi Nishioka.
During the meeting the sides discussed the possibility of attracting Japanese investment in Turkmen economy and the expansion of cooperation through the implementation of new joint projects and investment programs.
The parties agreed that the agreements reached at the highest level, focus on a comprehensive diversification of cooperation "will be the best way to strengthen national economies, jointly confronting the negative effects of the global financial and economic crisis."