I cordially congratulate you with the start of international gas congress, which is held for the eighth times in independent neutral Turkmenistan and the exhibition timed to this event. I wish you strong health and successful work of specialized review and forum. Our country is among the states having richest hydrocarbon resources and tries to use it for the sake of Turkmen people and other nations of the world. It is remarkable that large reforms, owing to which considerable successes were achieved, are implemented recently in fuel and energy complex of our independent Motherland that become the place of regular conduct of international gas congress. International gas forum and the exhibition timed to this event are to play an important role in fulfilment of priority programmes for increase of the industrialization rates of the country, diversification of national economy, attraction of the investments for joint development of oil and gas deposits, accumulation of the volumes of production that is on permanently high demand in the world’s markets. The specialists participating in specialized forum and exhibition will have an opportunity to share the opinions on number of topical aspects of this subject including the diversification of transport routes of gas, provision of energy security on regional and global level, development of export potential and defining of priority directions of the investment of gas processing and gas chemical industry. We hope that the solutions of other important issues will be found out during the forum. Being one of the strangest energy states, Turkmenistan is willing for further expansion of beneficial partnership in efficient use of its richest hydrocarbon reserves. Development of gas industry as well as full-scale establishment of gas- and petrochemical production, increase of export potential, intensification of equal cooperation in regional and global scale, all these measures serves to consolidation of economic base of our beloved Motherland and its position in the world arena. Favourable geopolitical location of Turkmenistan creates good conditions for implementation of large international projects what is indicated by the gas lines laid to the neighbouring countries. Soon, Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India gas main, which is under rapid construction, will be among them. This project will be deserving contribution into steadfast development of fuel and energy complex. This year, Turkmenistan chairs the Conference of the Energy Charter what gives us an opportunity for establishment and expansion of cooperation with the members of this large international organizations both in multilateral and regional formats as well as on bilateral basis for provision of the safety of transit of energy resources. Our land is a treasury of mineral reserves. Only one super giant gas deposit Galkynysh is a visual example of it. Today, Turkmenistan has strategic partnership in energy sphere with different countries expanding it in European, Asian, Far East and South – West directions and establishes beneficial relations with leading financial and oil and gas companies of the world. Recently, the subjects related to exploration, production and industrial processing of natural gas became one of the urgent for the whole humanity. Turkmenistan actively participates in their solutions as constructive realization of such objectives will be the basis of economic process not only for our country but also for other states. Respected members of the Congress and Exhibition! For one more time, I would like congratulate you sincerely with the opening of VIII International Gas Congress and Exhibition! I am firmly confirmed in productiveness of the specialized forum in Turkmen land in terms of sharing of the world practices and expansion of international cooperation in gas sphere.