ASHGABAT, TURKMENISTAN – U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today held bilateral energy discussions with the President of Turkmenistan and other senior Turkmenistan officials and delivered remarks to the Turkmenistan Industrial Oil and Gas Exhibition.  Secretary Bodman highlighted the role of international investment in developing Turkmenistan’s vast resources and expanding infrastructure.  He also discussed the importance of establishing a stable and transparent regulatory framework to open markets to foreign investment. Secretary Bodman is the highest-ranking U.S. Administration official to visit Turkmenistan in recent years, and his visit ushers in a new era of energy cooperation with President Berdymukhamedov and his government.

“The United States extends friendship and cooperation to the Turkmen government and its people.  A transparent, market-oriented investment climate will ensure quality partners to responsibly develop their resources,” Secretary Bodman said.  “The United States will be a long-term partner with Turkmenistan as they develop their oil and gas reserves and supply the global marketplace with energy that will benefit their citizens and grow their economy.”

Secretary Bodman met with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at Turkmenistan’s Presidential Palace and welcomed his recent remarks in New York.  Secretary Bodman highlighted the importance of increasing regional cooperation, encouraging the right types of private investment, and opening new export routes to international markets.   Secretary Bodman also met with Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rashit Meredov; Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers for Oil and Gas Tachberdy Tagiyev, and Turkmenistan’s State Agency for Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources Head Bayrammyrat Myradov.

Turkmenistan is the second stop on Secretary Bodman’s five-nation trip to Europe and Central Asia, which began earlier this week in Rome, Italy where Secretary Bodman spoke to the 20th World Energy Congress Ministerial Forum, signed an energy research and development agreement with Italy’s Minister for Economic Development and welcomed Italy to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.  Secretary Bodman will next travel to Turkey to highlight the importance of expanding and securing oil and gas infrastructure and to Greece to celebrate the opening of the Turkey-Greece Inter-connector pipeline, which will be a critical link between the gas suppliers of central Asia and the consumers of Europe.  Secretary Bodman will conclude his trip in London, England where he is expected to hold bilateral meetings with senior English officials and deliver remarks to U.S. and British business leaders.

Media contact(s):
Andy Beck, (202) 586-4940