Ashgabat ready to expand partnership with Japanese companies in gas sector

ASHGABAT. Feb 6 (Interfax) - Ashgabat is ready to enhance targeted partnerships with Japanese companies in the gas sector, Chairman of the Turkmen People's Council Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow said during a meeting with special advisor to the Japanese prime minister Akihisa Nagashima, the newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan said on Thursday.

During the meeting, Berdimuhamedow said that several major projects in the gas sector are being implemented in Turkmenistan in cooperation with Japanese companies, and reaffirmed the country's readiness to expand targeted partnerships in this field, the newspaper said.

Turkmenistan devotes special attention to diversifying export routes for this type of fuel and developing a specialized processing industry in view of the country's vast natural gas reserves, he said.

"As is well known, major Japanese companies have been working productively in our country's gas sector and chemical industry for many years. The goods produced at manufacturing facilities built in partnership with Japanese companies occupy a significant niche in Turkmenistan's exports, and are in growing demand both domestically and abroad," he said.

The completed joint projects include the construction of a polymer plant in Kiyanly, a carbamide plant in Garabogaz, a gasoline production plant from natural gas in the Ahal region and the Maryazot plant, he said.

Nagashima expressed his gratitude to Turkmenistan's leadership for providing favorable conditions for the constructive work of Japanese commercial organizations.