Four Central Asian presidents gather to discuss cooperation.

ASHGABAD, December 13 (Itar-Tass) - Chinese President Hu Jintao, Uzbek
President Islam Karimov and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev will
arrive in the Turkmen capital on Sunday at the invitation of President
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to discuss prospects of expanding energy
cooperation.

On Monday, the four presidents will attend the launch of the
Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline that has already been called " the gas
pipeline of the century". It will be held at the Samandepe gas field from
where gas will be pumped to the Chinese market through the trans-Asian
pipeline.
"I am optimistic about the future and I highly assess prospects for
our cooperation. Partnership in the gas sphere makes it possible to create
conditions for implementing many joint plans in full measure,"
Berdymukhamedov said in a recent interview with Chinese journalists.
The implementation of this unique, both by its meaning and size, gas
pipeline project demonstrates expanding strategic integration, the press
service of the Turkmen government said.
The new energetic corridor is undoubtedly profitable for it is taking
the Turkmen gas resources to a promising Chinese energy market.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is expected to meet his
fellow presidents both at bilateral talks and during four-side meetings.
The topics for discussion include world politics, key contemporary
problems linked to the strengthening of peace and stability, various
aspects of economic development, trade, cultural and humanitarian ties,
priority regional and inter-regional projects. Energy partnership will
remain the central subject.
China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were one of the first to support the
Turkmen president's initiative to increase international safety guarantees
for transnational pipelines and were the co-authors of the United Nations
Security Council Resolution "Reliable and Stable Transit of Energy nd Its
Role in Ensuring Sustainable Development and International Cooperation."
Turkmenistan's relations with China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are
based on a firm legal framework that enables the four nations to build
mutually beneficial partnership and increase trade turnover. The
Turkmen-Chinese trade turnover has increased 2.4 times since last year,
while trade with Uzbekistan has almost doubled.
Inter-governmental commissions for trade, economic,
scientific-technological and cultural cooperation function effectively.
China's business circles are unconditional leader in establishing
partnership relations. They participate in 53 projects in Turkmenistan to
a total sum worth over 1.03 billion dollars.
Turkmenistan has 37 ventures with the Chinese capital, 30 ventures
with the Kazakh capital and 13 with the Uzbek capital.
Turkmenistan regards the visit of the Chinese President Hu Jintao,
Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev as
"vital landmarks in the gradual development pf inter-state relations that
are acquiring a more constructive and fruitful nature."

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