Turkmenistan Introduces New Passport for International Travel
Topic: Foreign Relations
Ashgabat, 25 October 2005 (nCa) --- Turkmenistan has announced introduction of a new passport for its citizens for international travel. Old passports would remain valid until replaced by new ones.

The new passport would include biometrical data to meet the international requirements. It would show the digital picture of the owner, fingerprints and machine-readable data.

A statement by the government of Turkmenistan says that the new passport is being introduced as an effort by Turkmenistan to participate in war against terrorism, transnational crimes and illegal migration.

The measure is aimed at ensuring free exit and entry of the citizens of Turkmenistan to other countries and protection of their constitutional rights, the statement says.

The state service of Turkmenistan for registration of foreign citizens is charged to conduct the tender on purchase of necessary equipment and production of forms for the new passports.

The document signed Monday by President Niyazov specifies the Regulations on order of issues of the new exit-entrance passports for citizens of Turkmenistan. The old passports of the citizens of Turkmenistan are valid till the full exchange with new passports.

The first holder of the new passport is President Niyazov.

Parker Waxes Lyrical about Turkmenistan
Topic: Economy & business
Ashgabat, 18 October 2005 (nCa) --- Robert Parker, chairman of the American company Parker Drilling, met Monday with President Niyazov. In addition to discussing further drilling plans for Turkmenistan, Parker spared no effort in praising the president and the people of Turkmenistan.

“I like your president. He is a very inspiring person,” Parker began.


Explaining that he was drilling for the country and for the president, Parker said, “There are good prospects and we talked about that. The meeting was good. We are happy that we are here and we are drilling wells successfully for your country and for the president.”


“And, he has been very, very helpful, along with Chalyk, to accomplish new technology and new education and more benefits in oil and gas for the people here. It is exciting to see improvements since I was last here,” he continued.


Talking about all the improvements that he happened to observe in Turkmenistan, Parker said, “[Improvements in everything] inspire me.”


After inspiration, Parker talked about admiration. “I told the president, I admire him for making that happen for the country.”


After praising lavishly the land, the country, the people and everything else, Parker said, “It is just tremendous what this president is doing for this country.”


To make doubly sure, Parker underlined, “We drill all over the world; our company does. And, I told the president I have seen more improvements and progress here than in any other country.”


About the Turkmen workers, Parker said, “They are the best workers I have ever seen.”


Parker, in tandem with Chalyk Energy of Turkey, is drilling in Turkmenistan for the last three years. It is a triangular partnership between Parker, Chalyk and the Turkmen government. Parker drills the holes and provides its rig; Chalyk supervises speed and quality of work on behalf of Turkmenistan and ensures timely payments to Parker. The entire liaison with the Turkmen government is routed through Chalyk.


Parker and Boeing are two major American companies that were virtually on the brink but managed to pull back after they bagged contracts in Turkmenistan.

Agenda Issued for Peoples Council Meeting in Turkmenistan
Topic: Turkmenistan Political
Ashgabat, 5 October 2005 (nCa) --- President Niyazov approved Tuesday the agenda for the 16th meeting of the Khalk Maslehaty (Peoples Council) of Turkmenistan that is to take place this month in Ashgabat.

Khalk Maslehaty (KM), with its 2507 members, is the supreme legislative and deliberative body of Turkmenistan. It meets annually and on special occasions to chart the future course of Turkmenistan.

Here is the text of the presidential decree:

Decree by the president of Turkmenistan on convening the 16th session of the Halk Maslahaty [People's Council]

With the aim of making a comprehensive analysis and adequate assessment of the achievements scored in domestic and foreign policy and in the spiritual revival of independent and permanently neutral Turkmenistan; assessment of the country's further economic, political and cultural development; ensuring the state's stability; discussing with public measures and targets aimed at improving our people's welfare and conducting the next session of the People's Council at a highly organized level, as well as studying our compatriots' suggestions and appeals and also in line with Article 7 of the constitutional law of Turkmenistan "On the People's Council of Turkmenistan", I decree:

1. The 16th session of the People's Council of Turkmenistan is to be convened on 24-25 October 2005 in the city of Ashgabat with the following issues on its agenda:

The constitutional law of Turkmenistan "On amendments to the constitutional law of Turkmenistan 'On Peoples' Council of Turkmenistan'";

The law of Turkmenistan "On village heads";

The law of Turkmenistan "On local councils";

The law of Turkmenistan "On district and town peoples' councils";

The law of Turkmenistan "On election to district and town peoples' councils";

The law of Turkmenistan "On regional Peoples' Councils";

The law of Turkmenistan "On election to regional Peoples' Councils";

The draft law of Turkmenistan "On election of the president of Turkmenistan";

The amendments to the code of Turkmenistan "On taxes", the laws of Turkmenistan "On protection of citizens' health", "On permission to deal with a certain forms of activities" and "On adopting the code of Turkmenistan on social security";

The resolution adopted by the Peoples' Council of Turkmenistan "On maintaining Turkmenbasy's Spirit mosque as the basis of the national spirit and on provision of permanent social support to it";

A decree by the Turkmen president "On pardoning in honour of the holy Omnipotence Night" [27th night of the Holy month of Ramadan];

A decree by the Turkmen president "On awarding the title Honorary Elder of Turkmenistan".

2. A state commission is to be set up with the aim of conducting the 16th session of the People's Council in the best possible way and collecting and analysing proposals and appeals addressed by our compatriots to the People's Council and submit them to the chairman of the People's Council.

3. The decree No 4249 adopted by the Turkmen president on 7 April 2005 is to be declared invalid.

[Signed by] The President of Turkmenistan, chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, Saparmyrat Turkmenbasy.

Russian MTS Expects One Million Mobile Phone Users in Turkmenistan
Topic: Economy & business
Ashgabat, 5 October 2005 (nCa) --- Head of the largest Russian mobile phone operator MTS and secretary of state of the Russia-Belarus union expressed confidence Tuesday that the Turkmen mobile phone market could grow to one million users.

Vasiliy Sidorov, president of MTS that is the largest mobile phone provider in Turkmenistan also, and Paval Borodin, state secretary of the Russia-Belarus union, were on a charm offensive to win the economic cooperation of Turkmenistan.

After their meeting with President Niyazov, Borodin said, “You see, the conversation was very detailed. We talked about the range of programs, which today exist in union state Belarus-Russia. These include mobile communication, gas industry, agricultural production.”

Borodin told, “Today we also discussed the issue of development of mobile communication with MTS. We discussed it in details. Today you have few mobile telephones. Total number is 106000 for 6.5 million. We have 100 million of mobile phones for a population of 150 million.”

“I like very much the position of President [Niyazov]. We discussed this matter with participation of Ministry of communication, vice-premier, with participation of MTS president and president of Rosbank, which finances the project. The president gave clear instructions on investment and making the agreement, which he personally will sign,” explained Borodin.

“I think in the nearest 3-4 years MTS and Rosbank will increase investments in mobile communication. I think those 50000 of mobile phones will be expanded to 250000 or 350000 and then to 1 million,” he underlined.

Vasiliy Sidorov of MTS was also optimistic. He said, “We are very thankful to the President for the opportunity to talk him about our plans of investing in Turkmenistan – in the Turkmen market of mobile communication. We were given the opportunity to confirm our assurance that the market will grow at rapid pace.”

“We confirmed that we are here as long-term strategic partners,” he underlined.

Turkmenistan Gives Support to Proliferation Security Initiative?s Interdiction Principles
Topic: Permanent Neutrality
GSN, September 30, 2005. Turkmenistan yesterday welcomed and expressed support for the Proliferation Security Initiative’s Statement of Interdiction Principles released in 2003, according to a Turkmenistan Foreign Ministry statement (see GSN, Aug. 17).

Turkmenistan’s commitment to the principles reflects its “desire to cooperate in preventing the proliferation of WMD, their delivery systems and related materials,” according to the statement.

Turkmenistan is in compliance with Proliferation Security Initiative principles and expects to take place in “future activities connected with the initiative,” the statement said (Turkmenistan Foreign Ministry release, Sept. 29).