Turkmenistan president to visit the European Union for energy talks, ambassador says

Turkmenistan’s president is preparing for an official visit to Brussels as the European Parliament weighs ratification of a long-delayed partnership agreement with the Central Asian nation, the European Union’s ambassador to Ashgabat said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a joint briefing alongside Turkmenistan’s deputy foreign minister, Myahri Byashimova, EU ambassador Beata Peksa noted that while no date has yet been finalised for President Serdar Berdymukhamedov’s trip, discussions are expected to focus on energy cooperation.

Turkmenistan, a predominantly desert country with a population of around 7 million, holds the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves and is seeking to diversify its export destinations. At present, the bulk of Turkmen gas exports are directed to China.