Novel Idea To Promote Turkmenistan

By V. Sankara KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The Embassy of Turkmenistan has come up with a novel idea to promote the country among Malaysians. It plans to engage selected Malaysian journalists and travel agents to compile a travel guide that gives Malaysian tourists information about the Central Asian country which boasts great archaeological heritage. Ambassador Muhammetnyyaz Mashalov revealed the upcoming project, saying there are plans to bring the journalists and travel agents to Turkmenistan next year to explore the country themselves and get first-hand information, among others, on Ashgabat, the capital city. "We want the Malaysian journalists and travel agents to come up with their own travel book on Turkmenistan and we plan to distribute at least 5,000 copies, both in English and Bahasa Malaysia (Malay language), in Malaysia through the project to be funded by Turkmenistan,” he said. Mashalov spoke to Bernama after opening an exhibition here on Dec 7 on ‘Turkmenistan - The Country of Opportunities’ in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of Permanent Neutrality status of Turkmenistan. He said that once Turkmenistan Airlines resumes direct flights between Ashgabat and Kuala Lumpur after the COVID-19 pandemic eases, the embassy plans to bring this group of people to Turkmenistan next year to prepare the guide book on the country's sights, culture, and history. Mashalov also said that Turkmenistan and Malaysia enjoy cordial and friendly relations, and pointed out that Petronas is one of the largest investors in Turkmenistan's oil and gas sector, operating since 1996. There is huge potential for joint-venture projects in the sector, he said. The ambassador said Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had a telephone conversation on Oct 27, and the two leaders discussed how to enhance the cooperation that has existed between Turkmenistan and Malaysia over the past 28 years. "On Nov 24, an online meeting of the heads of the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and Malaysia took place and they discussed a wide range of issues on multilateral and bilateral cooperation in the political-diplomatic, trade-economic, energy and humanitarian fields," he said. In his speech at the opening of the exhibition, Mashalov said one of the most important projects in Turkmenistan in recent times was the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, the ground-breaking of which was held in December 2015. He said the country has been consistently increasing its capacity in the transport sector, besides initiating and implementing major regional and international projects in the field in order to raise international economic and trade cooperation to a higher level. The one-day exhibition gave an opportunity for visitors to explore the centuries-old culture of Turkmenistan, namely its traditional carpet masterpieces, as well as the food, electronic equipment and modern household appliances produced in that country. -- BERNAMA