Russian, Turkmenistani Presidents to discuss energy sector

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TURKMENBASI, September 13 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev and Turkmenistani President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow meet in
the western Turkmenistani city of Turkmenbasi Sunday to discuss
cooperation in the energy sector.
Also, they will watch the starts of the final phase of the Silk Road'
2009 cross-country rally, President Medvedev's aide Sergei Prikhodko said
Saturday.
"Priority attention will be given to cooperation in the fuel and
energy sector where Russia and Turkmenistan's joint efforts have already
produced a sizable potential," he said. "The Presidents will consider the
stepping up of joint activity in the gas industry and will look at the
prospects for new projects."
"It's important to us to understand Turkmenistan's strategic plans in
the natural gas sector and the place that Russia occupies in these plans,"
Prikhodko said. "Quite naturally, any country has the right to supply gas
wherever it finds necessary and we don't have a jealousy in this respect
but if Russia has some place in that strategy, indeed, the results will be
quite favorable."
"It's expected that the international company Itera and Turkmenistan's
Agency for Natural Resources will sign a production-sharing agreement on
the control over and hydrocarbon resources as regards the Caspian Sea
block deposits," Prikhodko said, adding that Medvedev and Berdimuhammedow
will attend the signing ceremony.
"The parties will also raise issues concerning non-energy aspects of
bilateral trade and accent in this sphere will be made on intensifying the
work of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation," he
said.
Prikhodko indicated that, contrary to the current global tendencies,
Russian-Turkmenistani trade exclusive of natural gas grew almost 30% in
the first six months of this year and reached $ 514.1 million.
Medvedev and Berdimuhammedow also hope to consider the problems
cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including bilateral exchanges in
the field of education.
Russia has two educational institutions in Turkmenistan at the moment
-- a Russian-Turkmen general school carrying the name of Alexander Pushkin
and an affiliation of the Moscow-based State University of Oil and Gas.
"In addition, the Presidents will look at the problems of the
international agenda that the two countries find most pressing today,"
Prikhodko said.
"The spotlight event during this visit is participation in the starts
of finals of the international cross-country rally Silk Road' 2009, he
said.
A total of 20 trucks and 51 small cars have arrived in Turkmenistan to
start off for the final phase of the first Dakar rally. The list of the
participating countries includes Brazil, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia,
Turkmenistan, the U.S., and Mongolia.
The sportsmen are accompanied by more than a hundred cars of the
technical assistance service, as well as by six jets and six helicopters.
TV coverage is provided for 150 countries.
-0-kle



.Romanian operatic star Angela Georghiu to give concert in Moscow.
13/9 Tass 10

MOSCOW, September 13 (Itar-Tass) - Connoisseurs of operatic art in
Moscow have a real feast Sunday, as one of the most top-rated operatic
prima donnas, Angela Georghiu of Romania is to appear on the stage of
Barkhikha Luxury Village concert hall in Moscow together with Marius
Minea, a Romanian tenor.
Georghiu and Minea will perform to the accompaniment of Russia's State
Academic Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Giordano Bellincampi, the
artistic director of the Danish National Opera.
The program of the concert includes the vest arias from the operas by
Verdi, Puccini, Catalani, Donizetti, and Mascagni.
Angela Georghiu got international fame after she performed in Puccini'
s La boheme in the Royal Opera House in London in 1992. From that moment
on, all the major opera companies of the world flung their doors open for
her.
Her acting is generally considered to be one of her best assets. It
could be perfectly well seen in the cinematic version of Puccini's where
she acted in front of her husband, the internationally renowned tenor
Roberto Alagna.
-0-kle