Romania Seeks To Be Party To Gas Exploration In Turkmenistan - Pres

“The visit’s agenda includes strengthening bilateral political and economic ties, as well as obtaining support to unfold several Romanian-Turkmen projects in the oil and natural gas sectors, namely our intent to be a party to exploring gas deposits in Turkmenistan and to provide the Turkmen side with drilling equipment,” Basescu told a press conference.

 

Basescu said his visit is in line with Romania’s foreign policy to improve political and economic ties with the Central Asia and the states in the Caspian region.

 

The visit takes place in an anniversary moment for the Romanian-Turkmen relations, as the two sides celebrate 17 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties and 16 years since the Romanian Embassy in Turkmenistan was founded. 

 

Basescu and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will sign a joint statement setting cooperation guidelines for the following period, mainly in the energetic sector.

 

In addition, the two sides will sign a protocol regarding the exchange of instruments to ratify the inter-government agreement to avoid double taxation, as well as a protocol of the first joint Romanian-Turkmen commission.

 

The Romanian delegation to Turkmenistan also includes Economy Minister Adriean Videanu, Foreign Minister Cristian Diaconescu, Ioan Rusu, general manager of state-run pipeline operators Transgaz (TNG.RO) and Marcel Adrian Piteiu, general manager of gas distributor Romgaz Medias.

 

On Friday, Turkmenistan has signed a deal granting Caspian Sea gas exploration and extraction rights to Germany’s RWE, a member of the Nabucco pipeline consortium.

 

Turkmenistan, with a population of around five million people, has some of the biggest gas reserves in the world.