On May 8, the President of Turkmenistan convened a regular session of the Cabinet to consider the current tasks of further progressive development of the national economy’s sectors, and other topical issues of domestic and foreign state policy. Prior to the session, the head of state met with velayat khyakims of the country. Having warmly congratulated the meeting attendees and the Turkmen people on the great holiday – 70th anniversary of Great Victory in the War of 1941-1945, the leader of nation stressed the historic significance of the remarkable event and its importance for the rising generation’s patriotic education. Victory Day is a special occasion, the leader of nation continued, having noted that in their strive for peace, humanism and creation the Turkmen people widely celebrate it as a holiday, which has great significance in fostering such qualities in young people as bravery, courage and philanthropy. Then, the Cabinet session was held in the “Maslahat Köşgi” Palace. Turning to the issues placed on the session agenda, the head of state gave the floor to Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet A. Gochyev to make a report on the state of affairs in the sector, he is in charge of. Reporting on the fulfillment of earlier presidential commissions, the Vice-Premier informed about the outcomes of work carried out to prepare state programs for launching production of import-substituting products in Turkmenistan, as well as increasing exports of domestically-produced goods. As reported, the main goals and objectives, a list of projects planned for realization, the amounts of expected income, as well as economic justification of new production facilities in the chemical industry, the industrial sector, the light industry, the machine-building industry, agriculture, the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and others, are specified in the programs. Summarizing the report, the head of state emphasized the importance of the programs. Implementation of the planned activities is aimed to increase competitive capacities of national products in terms of price and quality, to saturate the home market, and to fulfill export potential. In this connection, the leader of nation addressed a number of commissions to the Vice-Premier on ensuring strict control over the supervised sectors’ activity. The report of Chairperson of Mejlis of Turkmenistan A. Nurberdyeva covered the national parliament’s activity on further upgrading the country’s legal basis. Adoption of new laws should contribute to successful implementation of the state programs, intended to promote further progress of our country, following the path of socio-economic and democratic reforms, the leader of nation noted, having focused on the coordinated work of Mejlis deputies with the ministries, departments, and public organizations on elaborating new legislative documents. Reporting on the Ministry’s activity, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R. Meredov centered on the preparations for an official visit of our country’s government delegation led by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov to the Republic of Austria, scheduled for the following week. The Turkmen-Austrian top-level talks are expected to result in signing a package of documents destined to advance further development of interstate cooperation, fulfillment of its considerable potential. The Foreign Minister also informed about the preparations for an official visit of the government delegation of Turkmenistan led by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov to the Republic of Slovenia to take place in the near future. Speaking of the importance of the forthcoming visits to the Republic of Austria and the Republic of Slovenia, the leader of nation stressed their significance for further all-round development of the Turkmen-Austrian and Turkmen-Slovene relations with a glance to the potential available and new possibilities, both for diversification of the trade-economic relations, and deepening of the humanitarian-cultural contacts. Having emphasized that the upcoming visits and top-level talks would also facilitate strengthening of interstate cooperation within the framework of the by-now established constructive dialogue of Turkmenistan with the European Union, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov gave the Vice-Premier a number of issue-related assignments on their preparation. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet A. Yazmyradov focused his report on the seasonal agri-works ongoing in the country. According to the Vice-Premier, the cotton sowing campaign has completed; 545, 000 hectares of farmlands have been planted to the crop. The seeds have come up in the most of fields under the valuable technical crop. At the same time, handling of winter wheat crops and preparation of grain-accepting centers and machinery for the grain-harvesting season are under way. All in all, 1,700 combine harvesters are to be in operation during the harvest time. The wheat crop is to be delivered to grain-accepting centers and elevators by 6, 800 trucks. 350 mobile mechanized crews have been created to ensure on-site maintenance of machinery, including repair and delivery of fuels and lubricants. All necessary conditions will be created for machine operators and other workers employed in the grain harvesting. Touching upon the wheat harvesting, the President of Turkmenistan concentrated attention on the organizational issues of the agricultural campaign, which plays a great role in enhancing our country’s economic potential and export possibilities. It is of primary importance not only to harvest the wheat yield produced, but also to ensure its loss-free transportation and storage. Special attention should be also given to qualitative agrotechnical treatment of cotton fields, the leader of nation said, having given the Vice-Premier concrete issue-associated instructions. In her report, Deputy Chairperson of the Cabinet M. Yazmuhammedova centered on the ongoing work aimed to organize a pilgrimage of cultural and art workers, scientists, educationalists and elders to the tomb of Magtumguly Fragi in the Islamic Republic of Iran. As reported, this year a delegation consisting of representatives of public organizations, artistic intelligentsia, scientists, educationalists, the mass-media, and honorary elders is to be sent to the friendly country on a pilgrimage. On May 18, after returning home, members of the delegation will take part in the activities to be held in honor of the great Turkmen classical poet in the village of Gerkez, Magtymguly etrap, Balkan velayat. Summing up the report, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov assigned the Vice-Premier to ensure a high level of the forthcoming international action, create all necessary conditions for the pilgrimage and participation of Turkmenistan’s delegation in the activities organized in Iran in honor of the great Turkmen poet. Then, the floor was given to Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet B. Hojamuhammedov to inform about the state of affairs in different sectors of the country’s fuel and energy complex, as well as the measures taken to develop export potential of the oil and gas industry. In the report follow-up comments, the head of state focused on the tasks of the domestic fuel and energy complex further progressive development, whose solution is aimed to stimulate the country’s complex industrialization, to boost production of products able to meet competition in the world markets and, consequently, to strengthen Turkmenistan’s economic power and improve the people’s well-being. In that context, the President of Turkmenistan stressed the importance of wide applying innovative technologies in the sector, further strengthening mutually advantageous cooperation with world’s leading oil and gas companies, and attracting foreign investments, having addressed a number of concrete assignments to the Vice-Premier. The work carried out in the supervised sectors, including the measures taken by the Ministry of Communications of Turkmenistan to expand access of local users to high-speed Internet were in the focus of the report made by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet S. Satlykov. As reported, the objectives of the Internet system further development and modernization are defined in “The Program of the President of Turkmenistan for the country’s social and economic development for 2012-2016”. Strengthening of international cooperation in the communications and telecommunications sector, including with European and Asian countries, will facilitate introduction of high technologies into the sphere. It will enable to increase the Internet speed and upgrade the optical facilities. The report also covered the information about the work ongoing in connection with the launch of the first communications satellite of Turkmenistan – “TürkmenÄlem 52°E”. According to the Vice-Premier, specialists of the relevant sector are testing systems of the satellite as scheduled. Having noted that the availability of hi-tech systems in the telecommunications sector is an integral factor of the country’s social and economic development and successful international cooperation, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov concentrated on the issues of further upgrading and wide attraction of the most advanced equipment and innovative technologies into the sector. Having emphasized that great significance is attached to intensive development of telecommunications to provide all conditions necessary to make the Internet and modern communications technologies available to every citizen, the head of state gave the Vice-Premier a number of concrete commissions on ensuring a high-quality level of the ongoing works. The situation in the industrial sector was in the center of the report made by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet B. Ereshov. Reporting on the outcomes of a working trip to Lebap velayat, the Vice-Premier informed that the large sectoral objects are being constructed at an accelerated pace to stimulate the development of the chemical industry and enhance its export potential in this region of the country. At present, the works are under way at the mining-and-processing complex for production of potash fertilizers in Garlyk, Koitendag etrap. The installation and construction work is also in progress at the enterprise for production of sulfuric acid at the Turkmenabat Chemical Plant. In the after-report comments, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has noted that the chemical industry is one of the priority directions for the development of Turkmenistan’s processing industry. Having stressed the importance of implementing the mining-and-processing complex project, as well as other sectoral projects of the industrial infrastructure at an accelerated pace, the leader of nation demanded to keep rigid control over timely completion of all the planned construction works. The measures taken to improve the activity of educational institutions were a key issue the report of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet S. Toilyev was centered on. The Vice-Premier submitted for consideration by the head of state a draft Resolution on purchasing computers for first-year pupils to be admitted to the country’s secondary schools in the 2015-2016 academic year. Having expressed satisfaction with the work done on selecting the latest models of computers, the President of Turkmenistan signed the relevant Resolution and commissioned the Vice-Premier to take further comprehensive measures to improve the quality of education by applying innovative technologies. Then, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet, Manager of the Presidential and Cabinet Administration Office Sh. Durdylyev reported on the activity of the sectors he is responsible for, as well as the implementation progress of the improvement plan in the Turkmen capital. As reported, the transport-communications and utility networks, social infrastructure facilities are being renovated rapidly in accordance with the planned works. After the report, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov emphasized the importance of systematic implementing the Ashgabat Redevelopment Program, aimed to include white marble Ashgabat in the list of the world’s most beautiful and developed cities. It is necessary to ensure well-coordinated joint work with other institutions responsible for the work, the head of state stressed, having assigned to keep strict control over the Turkmen capital’s further improvement. The report of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet M. Artykov was an extensive coverage of the work ongoing in the sectors he is responsible for, and fulfillment of the commissions given earlier by the head of state. The Vice-Premier also informed about the work done by the relevant ministries on preparing a number of documents concerning road use regulations to ensure traffic safety. Having signed the Resolution on approving the Regulations of Road Use, the Regulations of Roadside Area Determination and Usage, the Procedure of Road Traffic Temporary Restrictions or Road Closures, the leader of nation addressed a number of instructions to the Vice-Premier on ensuring traffic safety and preventing damages to the capital’s roads. Pending the subject, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov demanded to assume adequate measures to take a comprehensive and well-considered approach to the issue, having stressed the necessity to keep control over the quality of road-building and road renovation, and upkeep of roads. Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet P. Taganov reported on the work carried out in accordance with the commissions of the nation’s leader on advancing trade-economic cooperation with foreign countries and increasing exports of Turkmenistan-made products. Preparation of specialized catalogues of domestic export goods for publication is well under way. They are aimed to widely advertise products of our country’s state and private manufacturers abroad. The catalogues in the Turkmen, English and Russian languages will provide all information about a range of products, their quality and technical features. In this connection, a proposal to release the first issue of such catalogues, prepared by the State Commodities and Raw Materials Exchange and the Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Union of our country, was submitted for consideration by the head of state. Having approved the proposal to publish the catalogues of domestic export goods, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov gave instructions on organizing this important work, having noted that present-day marketing and advertising methods should be applied more actively to encourage modern development of the trade sector in the market-oriented economy. The head of state also addressed the commissions to the Vice-Premier on studying and introducing world experience into the trade sector and expanding international business relations. Some other issues of state life were considered at the Cabinet session, and the appropriate resolutions were adopted.