President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed the enlarged sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan

The first half of the current year was marked with the quite important events that took place on a world arena as well as in the life of the country. As regards the foreign-policy aspect we continued to pursue the open door policy and bilateral cooperation, full-scale contribution of our state to the efforts of global community.

Several official visits were paid to the neighbouring states – the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Also, the state visit was paid to the Russian Federation and the official visits – to the Republic of Croatia and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. We took part in the ECO Summit in Tehran.

The talks held during these visits, the documents signed upon their completing as well as numerous business forums, exhibitions, conferences, cultural actions, which were held in Ashgabat with the wide representation of foreign participants promoted enhancing the international prestige of our state and Turkmenistan’s role in strengthening peace in the region.

Carrying out the domestic policy – and it is the major result of the past six months – we achieved the high level of solidarity of the people, their friendly and selfless labour to fulfill the designated tasks.

The essence of these tasks is to guarantee the wellbeing and happy life to people, to turn our prosperous country into one of the advanced countries of the world. The work of the organs of state government, the core of all decisions adopted conform to these aims.

Specifically the results of the six-month period. The total production made up 105.5 percent. The growth rates in industry made up 124.2 percent. The other sectors of the national economy are developed stably. Thus, the growth rates in construction made up 129 percent, transport and communication – 119.1 percent. The growth rates in agriculture made up 114.1 percent, over 1.2 million tons of grain were harvested.

The State budget revenues exceeded, the inflation rate was reduced.

Private entrepreneurship and small business were developed. The earnings and income of the population rose. All of these evidence that our economy keeps developing successfully and we have many opportunities to be used.

It should be important to note that our economy do not drop back despite global economic crisis. The large-scale international and national projects are being implemented. The facilities of the first stage of construction in Avaza national tourism zone were put into cooperation. Construction of the facilities of the next stage in the world-class resort is in full swing.

Over 150 kilometres of the North-South transcontinental trunk railway were laid.

Construction of the gas pipeline to China is in full swing. New oil and gas deposits are discovered.

On July 15, we will put the unique hydraulic facility – the Turkmen Lake in the heart of the Karakum Desert – the largest desert of the world into operation. The 2,600-km canal was laid in the Karakum Desert to implement this project. This is the great work that can be compared to the laying of the second Karakum-River amongst the sands.

In 10-15 years the Turkmen Lake will be filled with water. And then new settlements that will be founded nearby the new lakes filled with salt water of the large cavities will spring up on the banks of the canals that will carry underground waters from agricultural fields to the basin of the Lake. Roads, power transmission lines and gas pipelines will be laid there.

Of course, to implement such a grandiose project is not an easy task and requires huge investments and effort. This project will rightfully become the largest construction of the third millennium. Undoubtedly, only economically strong state can afford such a grandiose work.

Construction of the Turkmen Lake arouse great interest and admiration of the peoples of the world, it is highly evaluated by international community. In every citizen this achievement arouses the rightful feeling of joy and pride in the independent Fatherland, and the hearts of people are filled with sincere love to the native land.

Each year, each week and even each day of the epoch of Great Revival is marked with labour accomplishments and victories. New facilities are put into operation in our country almost every day – apartment houses, institutes, schools, hospitals, kindergartens, other facilities of various kinds. What makes me glad is that it becomes an ordinary event for our bravery people who are gaining grandiose accomplishments. There can be only one conclusion made: spiritual revival of the nation is behind these changes. Such figures as 1,500 facilities of different kinds totaled about US$ 15 billion have been built in the country to date cannot be viewed otherwise!

During the first five months the volume of investments increased as high as 2.3 times, the foreign trade turnover made up 135 percent. The signs of fundamental reforms are obvious in all sectors of economy. To a larger extent it is an outcome of full-scale modernization of economic infrastructure.

Having archived the steady macroeconomic indicators, high financial, social and living conditions and political stability today Turkmenistan attracts reliable and advanced investments. The worlds leading companies and firms express the willingness to cooperate with us supporting it with the concrete proposals.

Dear cabinet ministers,

Dear friends,

As I told, our ultimate goal is to guarantee a worthy and prosperous life to the people. To do it we must even more diligently develop our economy, consistently apply advanced technologies in all sectors of the national economy, improve science and education, widely and comprehensively support entrepreneurship.

For the foreign-policy strategy aimed at out country’s joining international community our duty is to keep on implementing all our initiatives so that in the second half of the year we could launch large-scale work to successfully implement the long-term programmes and projects. Also, the work to cement the legal foundation of the state relying on the historically established democratic values of the nation should be continued.

The reforms in the spheres of science, education and cultural should be implemented at the same high pace. Here, one of the major tasks – the high-quality selection of university entrants. I would like to say to all those responsible for this important work: it must be organized in a proper manner, transparently, without any violations and machinations.

Talented, gifted and diligent young people must be admitted to our institutions of higher education, their education must meet the highest standards.

I would like to note in this regard: there is no place in our society for those who do not share this policy, who try to earn fraudulently, in evil ways. The Turkmen people say “to become corrupted – to lose the way that means to stray.” Only earnings gained honestly, wealth acquired by fair means purify the soul of an individual. The intellect – the eyes of the Almighty, conscience – the eyes of people. Hypocritical people will never hide out from these eyes. I would like to remind that the strict measures had been taken against these offenders during the recent sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers.

I would like to say several words about the Academy of Sciences. It must complete the organizational development activities and start to fulfill the designate tasks as soon as possible. We expect a concrete scientific return from scientists. It is the time to ensure application of the research results in the national economy.

I would like to draw attention of H. Saparlyev to the need to establish the government commission responsible for evaluating the proposed projects and applying scientific and technological advances in industry.

The serious tasks to implement small and large-scale projects that promote application of advanced technologies at the enterprises, work organization, demand for products are set to each minister and high-ranking government official. The unprofitable which dot not cover their expenses should be closed.

Rural reforms must be accelerated. A rich harvest had been grown on cotton plantations. To reap it the preparations for agrotechnical works must be started even today. “He who did not leave his trace on a field will have no face during a feast”, our ancestors said and we must take account of these words.

Our sacred duty – to meet all the commitments undertaken for this year. Also it is necessary:

to ensure a rise in salaries in all sectors of economy;

carrying out thoroughly the credit and monetary policy to maintain price stability, achieve the inflation rate of not higher than 7-8 percent;

to ensure successful implementation of the national programme on improvement of the social and living conditions in villages, settlements, towns in etraps and etrap centres till 2020 and other adopted programmes.

The ministers, high-ranking officials of the sectoral departments, khyakims of velayats and etraps should pay special attention to construction of buildings and facilities according to schedule, increase considerably the pace of works and production capacities of the construction organisations, involve widely local companies and firms in construction projects. All the facilities which are to be constructed by Independence Day in October must be put into operation according to schedule.

The pace of development of the fuel and energy sector is a focus of attention. The independent audit of our gas fields carried out last year, geologists’ recent discoveries unveiled the huge reserves of natural gas in the territory of our country for global community. Our duty – to back these discoveries with a diligent effective work.

I would like to note that today Turkmenistan has surplus tank gas. We are able to sell a required volume of gas on the border of our state. This opens up the opportunities to implement a number of the projects including the NABUCCO Project.

The international tender for construction of the East-West gas pipeline was announced. This tender provides for an increase of the gas pipelines in the country to ensure uninterrupted gas supply in the necessary directions. The task to develop the sector as well as effectively tackle the issues of sales of products is set to the high-ranking officials of the oil and gas enterprises.

Dear friends,

I am going to sign the Resolution “On Management of the Facilities in Avaza National Toruism Zone” now. It is necessary to ensure that our resort infrastructure work effectively, at the high international level.

I declared the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers closed. I would like to wish every success and good luck in serving the people, guaranteeing their prosperous and happy life.