Deputy Khyakim of Dashoguz Velayat for Agriculture Meretdurdy Isgenderovich Gurbanov – a nominee for the highest state post of Turkmenistan, has promulgated his pre-election Keynote Statement. Highlighting the successes in the policy, economy, science and culture the country has achieved over 25 year of Independence of Turkmenistan, the nominee noted that in case of electing him as President of Turkmenistan, the priority in his Keynote Statement will be given to the issues of strengthening the legal and democratic fundamentals of the state and society. We will keep improving the legislative system, developing of new bills aimed at the implementation of social-economic programs and projects focused on further prosperity of our country. I will continue to undertake the workable steps to cement the neighborly, friendly and fruitful relations between the states and peoples united by the age-old historical and cultural ties. I would like to assure the electorate that I will expand the policy of peace and mutually beneficial cooperation based on the status of the neutrality, promote establishment of sustainable, stable, flexible and balanced system of international relations in the economic and humanitarian spheres, strengthen the authority of independent neutral Turkmenistan, and promote peace-making processes. Our Motherland is one of the rapidly developing countries. What is above all needed today is to ensure a harmonious development of different branches of the country’s economy on the innovative basis and provide quality-of-life improvements to the population. To achieve the goals set, it is necessary to do the following: - To introduce new technologies into agriculture using the world’s advanced practices; - To solve the employment issues in different branches of economy through creating new jobs; - To satisfy the population’s needs in food products through retaining the prices at the affordable level and regular increasing of wages and salaries; - To bring the pension system to the world level; reduce taxation and improve the quality of services rendered to the disabled citizens supported by the state aids and benefits; - To pursue the policy of exporting the goods produced in our country; to open new enterprises for processing of imported raw materials; - To undertake far-going transformations in agriculture for providing new workplaces and high-quality living conditions to the population in every corner of the country; - To provide industrial enterprises and agricultural associations in the rural areas with modern equipment; - To intensify the work on establishing agricultural companies and complexes with complete agri-food production cycle; Large support will be rendered to the cotton industry. Through increase of purchasing prices for cotton sales, we will motivate the farmers involved in the cotton production; Much attention will be paid to training of the qualified agricultural specialists. Involving experienced farmers, we will create a specialized school for professional training of the youth and information centers - in daikhan associations. We will build agricultural professional-technical schools and training centers in all etraps. We will establish necessary conditions for preparing a pleiad of true of agri- specialists, who love the land and are well-experienced in modern equipment. To attract competent specialists in the agricultural industries, we have to pay special attention to the improvement of work of scientific-research agri-centers at the high educational institutions. Not the least significant is implementation of such specific measures, as the improvement of scientific works and opportunities of the existing agricultural scientific-research institutions. To raise the physically and spiritually healthy youth, much attention in my Policy Program will be given to the environment protection, foodstuff quality control, development of sports and health-promotion movement. Another primary task of my Program is orientation of the agricultural policy on achieving food abundance, sustainable growth of the agricultural output through expanding, upgrading and supporting the daikhan associations, their entire technical retooling and modernizing of all structures of the agricultural complex. Large-scale reforms in the educational and scientific spheres will keep going. Education is one of the major conditions that govern the country’s future, the spiritual, social, economic and cultural development of the society. Such is indeed the reason of furthering the work on bringing the science and education to the international level, of creating conditions for harmonious development and expansion of the youth’s horizons. Comprehensively studying the rich cultural heritage, traditions and customs of the Turkmen people, we will continue using them in upbringing the young generation. The measures will be undertaken for improving the ideological work and bringing the activity of cultural and humanitarian organizations to the world level. We will outline further measures for advancing of the “Avaza” National Tourist Zone. Large-scale construction will keep going of the recreational centers and tourism infrastructure in other beautiful places of Turkmenistan to attract not only our citizens but the tourists from different countries of the world. For getting all-round education by the youth and raising qualification of our citizens, the works will be carried out for improving the secondary and high educational institutions. Care for health of the population remains in the centre of our attention. While establishing new medical facilities, we will provide them with world-class equipment and continue the work on improving the professional skills of medical personnel. The measures for development of mass sports and sport-recreation movement are linked with care for the future of the nation. In this regard, main attention will be paid to construction of sport schools, centers and training gyms in different parts of our country. The state will continue rendering comprehensive support to the rural people. We will continue purchasing of the world’s best specialized equipment for agricultural needs and investing in the advancement of villages and settlements in each etrap. We will pay attention to housing construction in velayats, cities, etrap centres, villages and settlements, to the development of transport, public health, culture and education. We will establish all supplementary conditions for this. In the years ahead, we will continue the mutuality-based cooperation with neighboring states and other countries of the world. In conclusion, the nominee has assured that together with our honest, hard-working and united people he will work enthusiastically, do his utmost for further prosperity of our Motherland.