First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and the Russian Co-Chairman of the Russia-Turkmenistan Economic Cooperation Commission Viktor Zubkov has attended the opening of the Russian-Turkmen Economic Forum "A New Quality of Cooperation: from Intensive Dialogue to Mutually Beneficial Projects".

"Qualitative changes have recently taken place in Russia-Turkmenistan relations, which have acquired a strategic character," the First Deputy Prime Minister said greeting the participants in the Forum.

"The dynamics of trade is good: it has doubled during the year. The trend has continued into 2009. 121 enterprises with Russian capital have been registered in Turkmenistan, about 120 projects and contracts with the participation of Russian companies worth a total of $331.4 million are being implemented," Mr Zubkov continued. He stressed that "in spite of the world financial crisis, Russia will seek further diversification of economic interaction and more active cooperation in the fields of mutual interest".

In addition to the traditional cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, Mr Zubkov described as promising such areas as the introduction of modern Russian technologies of agricultural production and processing of agricultural produce, the participation of Russian companies in comprehensive modernisation of Turkmenistan's healthcare system and the supply of boilers for utilities.

The Russia-Turkmenistan Economic Forum opened in Moscow on the eve of the state visit to Russia by Turkmenistan's President Berdymukhammedov. Taking part in the Forum was the Turkmen Co-Chairman of the Russia-Turkmenistan Economic Cooperation Commission, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkmenistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and representatives of ministries and agencies, and the business and scientific communities of the two countries.