Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have discussed the possibility of launching a joint oil processing facility, according to the Tajik MFA information department.
This issue was reportedly discussed at a meeting of Tajikistan Ambassador to Turkmenistan Farrukh Sharifzoda with Director-General of the Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC) Turkmen National Oil and Gas Company (NAPECO) Maksat Pirliyev that took place in Ashgabat on May 20.
The two discussed the bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan and exchanged views on launching the joint venture to process petroleum and produce petroleum products as well as on supplying petroleum products to Tajikistan, the Tajik MFA information department says.
In 2021, Turkmenistan established the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Tajikistan, and during the last year, Turkmenistan delivered up to 5,000 tons of LNG to Tajikistan. Official Dushanbe has announced its intention to increase purchases of LNG from Turkmenistan.
Established in 2016, CJSC NAPECO reportedly aims to develop the structure of Turkmenistan’s industry and protect its interests in world markets
Currently, Turkmenistan’s total geological reserves are reportedly estimated at 71.21 billion metric tons of fuel equivalent. Possible reserves of Turkmenistan’s largest and the world’s second deposit, Galkynysh, are estimated at 26.2 trillion cubic meters ranking the country fourth in gas deposits.
Turkmenistan currently delivers its natural gas through export pipelines to Russia, China and Iran, with plans to increase gas output to 230 million cubic meters by 2030.
The diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan were officially established on January 27, 1993 by signing of the Protocol "On the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan."
The Embassy of the Republic of Tajikistan has functioned in Ashgabat since February 1993. The Embassy of Turkmenistan operates in Dushanbe as well.
In general, the current state of the Tajik-Turkmen relations has a tendency of phased expansion. The process of practical implementation of the mutual desire of the two countries to work more closely in multi-dimensional cooperation in accordance with the potential and needs of the people reportedly can be seen in bilateral relations.
Thus, during Tajik president’s state visit to Turkmenistan in August last year, 19 cooperation documents, according to the Tajik president’s official website. The countries, in particular, signed government-to-government cooperation agreements on transportation, transit of goods and passengers, transportation of petroleum products and liquefied natural gas (LNG), tourism, railway transport, production, culture and art.
