The sacred spirit of high morality marked the last week. The holy Oraza Bairamy came to the ancient Turkmen land symbolizing the eternal aspiration for good, mercy and peace. The days separating us from the nationwide holiday - the 16th anniversary of Turkmenistan independence, is counted down. Each of these days is marked with putting newly-constructed buildings into operation and other events on occasion of the remarkable date.

The solemn ceremony of awarding the winners of the President’s Prize Contest announced each year among cultural workers, literary men and artists was held on the eve of the national holiday at the Presidential Palace. This year the artistic contest arranged against a background of the progressive reforms, common spiritual upsurge characterizing the epoch of new revival as never before has involved thousands of people - the people of different ages and professions from all over the country united with the common endeavour - to reflect every thing which the country lives with.

Speaking at the ceremony Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov put emphasis on the important role of culture and arts in the life of the Turkmen society. Attaching the significant importance to the spiritual and moral revival of the Turkmen nation, establishment of the lofty ideals of humanism in the society, maintenance of the atmosphere special spirituality that has been feeding the roots of Turkmen culture from ancient times, education of new talented generations, development of artistic dynasties the government endeavours to create favourable conditions for the life and creative activities of Turkmen cultural workers. The key goals of the national economic development include the growth of people’s wellbeing and the guarantees of the high standards of living to each family and the opportunity to realize the creative abilities to everyone. Undoubtedly, it makes the policy of the Turkmen state humane and merciful. Another vivid evidence of it is the idea of creating a township including comfortable apartment houses, kindergartens, schools of art and art education establishments the President presented at the awarding ceremony.

The panorama of the tasks accomplished and forthcoming events on occasion of Independence Day is broad and diverse. The festive construction premiers were held in the Turkmen capital, Gypjak settlement in the Ruhabat Etrap, Balkanabat.

Preparing for the large-scale nationwide celebrations Turkmenistan keeps working to the usual beat. That’s a custom in Turkmenistan that each remarkable date in the history of the country acquires more significance in the light of the events, which take place on the eve or accompany the celebrations. It is the natural process of large-scale reforms and transformations. Everything is changing - the significant reforms in national economy, reorganization of the institutions of state authority and intensification of the approaches to the home and foreign policies.

The enlarged sitting at the Ministry of Home Affairs is one of the most remarkable events of the last week. The supremacy of law, the respect to the rights and freedoms vested to citizens by the Constitution is the foundation that we are building our state on. The President emphasized that the law-enforcement officers must stand guard over these principles strengthening peace and concord in the Turkmen society. To honour the laws - a sacred duty of the state as well as each citizen was the main theme of the exacting conversation Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov led at the sitting.

The agenda of the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers held at the end of the week included the issues of paramount importance. Everyone knows consistency, vigour and determination that the Turkmen leader upholds the necessity of accelerating the reforms with. Intuition, the ability to penetrate into the essence of the modern political and economic tendencies, pragmatism and concern for the country’s destiny in the rigorous realties of the modern period when the gap between the develop countries that immediately apply latest scientific innovations and technologies and the developing countries, which are behind in this intellectual contest, intensified with every passing year force the Turkmen leader to take the only right position under the complicated conditions of the third millennium.

The political, economic and social factors called upon to enhance the country’s position in a world arena are closely interrelated in the national development strategy elaborated by the nationwide elected President. Focusing on the necessity of bringing national economy up to the global level Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov defined the mechanism of achieving the goal: study of the best international practice, establishment of the flexile and effective economic management system, active introduction of market economic elements - marketing, competition among commodity producers and service providers, enhancement of the private sector, etc.

A success of the economic reforms will much depend on the activity of the Institute of Strategic Planning and Economic Development and the State Committee for Statistics responsible for making the comprehensive analysis of the on-going economic processes, providing the practical short-term and long-term recommendations. The financiers, economists, statisticians as well as the high-ranking officials of the national ministries and departments should fundamentally reorganize their activities. Their activity will be henceforth evaluated not by the figures and indicators but the concrete outcomes, first of all abundance of high-quality consumer goods and food products of great demand on domestic market and the high profitability of production enabling to ensure price stability.

Last week Turkmenistan’s foreign policy activity was marked with the events which best of all characterised Turkmenistan’s position in a world arena. Strategic partnership for peace and humanism, equal partnership based on mutual benefit and respect to partners’ interests are the principles the leader of the Turkmen state adheres to when forming Turkmenistan’s foreign-policy strategy. It is the established fact that this strategy enjoys the support in the political and business circles worldwide

Intensification of Turkmenistan-European Union dialogue brought to a higher level nowadays and providing the vast opportunities of expanding bilateral partnership vividly evidences it. The meeting of Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov with EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel, who had visited the Turkmen capital, proved it. Discussing a broad range of the issues of mutual interest the interlocutors focused on co-operation in the fuel and energy sector that Turkmenistan and the European Union considered a broad field of concerting efforts including establishment of the transnational pipeline network, development of the off-shore hydrocarbon deposits in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

Declaring itself as a state adhering to the principles of wide international co-operation meeting the national interests as well as partner’s interests Turkmenistan takes new steps towards achieving this goal. The leading sectors of national economy - oil and gas industry, transport, telecommunications are involved into collaboration. The vast opportunities are provided for joint projects in resort industry and international tourism. The Law of Turkmenistan “On the Amendments and Additions to the Statutory Acts of Turkmenistan” published in the national newspapers last week. The Law reflects the legal guarantees to foreign investors that will be a powerful incentive to develop business co-operation, attract foreign investments into national economy.

The Caspian Summit in Tehran will open the new opportunities of establishing effective and close fruitful contacts in various fields. The results of the summit are of paramount importance as it focuses on the legal status of the Caspian Sea as the solid foundation for building and enhancing co-operation in the Caspian region.

After closing the Caspian Summit Turkmenistan will welcome President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, who will come to the Turkmen capital on an official visit on October 18. On October 22, Ashgabat will host the important and large international forum - the Summit of CIS Prime Ministers. Each of these events is of crucial importance promoting enhancing bilateral relations among the states traditionally bound with the ties of friendship, good neighbourliness and spiritual kinship as well as for strengthening their positions on the geopolitical and economic maps of the world.