India, Turkmenistan to step up engagement in gas sector

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) India and energy-rich Turkmenistan
Tuesday decided to step up engagement in a number of areas,
particularly trade and hyrdrocarbons, and signed five pacts,
including one in the economic field.

During the talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
and visiting Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov,
India proposed to conduct a feasibility study on setting up a
gas-based fertilizer plant in Turkmenistan and the latter
agreed to take it forward.
The leaders also hoped that discussions on the proposed
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline
project would continue with a view to realising it early.
Singh and Berdimuhamedov agreed that terrorism was one of
the main threats to security and sustainable development of
countries of the world and decided to cooperate against it.
The Turkmenistan President condemned the Mumbai attacks.
After the wide-ranging talks that covered bilateral
matters and regional and international issues of mutual
concern, the two sides signed an Agreement on Economic and
Trade Cooperation which the two leaders hoped would pave the
way for enhanced economic engagement.
They also signed a pact on Scientific and Technological
Cooperation, an Education Exchange Programme, an Agreement on
Exemption of Visas to Diplomatic Passport holders and a
Programme of Cooperation in the fields of Culture, Art, Mass
Media and Sports.
"The two leaders agreed on the existence of significant
potential in terms of increasing trade volumes between the two
countries," a joint statement issued after the talks said.
Singh and Berdimuhamedov agreed that the governments and
the Chambers of Commerce and Industry need to take necessary
measures to strengthen bilateral trade and economic
cooperation.
A joint study by designated agencies of the two
Governments and Chambers of Commerce and Industry was
recommended with a view to identifying measures, which would
deepen economic engagement, the statement said.
The leaders expressed satisfaction on the ongoing
discussions between the oil/natural gas companies of India and
Turkmenistan under the framework of the Joint Working Group on
Hydrocarbons and hoped this would create conditions necessary
for mutually beneficial cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector
of Turkmenistan.
It was agreed that the Ministers on both sides responsible
for oil and gas will take forward ideas for intensifying joint
efforts in various projects in that sector. PTI AKK
KAB