ASHGABAT, Sept 29, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov on Saturday amnestied 9,000 prisoners, including foreigners, after a US visit seen as a sign of opening in this long-isolated Central Asian state.

Berdymukhammedov signed an order 'for about 9,000 people, including foreign citizens, to be freed from penitentiaries,' the Turkmen state news agency reported, calling it 'an unprecedented act of mercy.'

MOSCOW, Sept 27, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmenistan could hike up prices for the gas supplied to Russia up to 150 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters, Russia's Kommersant daily reported Thursday quoting Turkmen officials.

'According to Energogaz company's owner Roman Matsuyev, who was quoting Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Oil and Gas Minister Tachberdy Tagiyev, Turkmenistan intends to raise prices on gas it supplies to (Russia's gas giant) Gazprom from 100 to 150 dollars per 1,000 cubic meters,' the daily wrote.

ASHGABAT, Sept 26, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov called on foreign companies to invest in his country's energy sector in a speech published on Wednesday by the state news agency.

'The oil and gas sector needs foreign investment' to allow Turkmenistan to triple gas production by 2030, Berdymykhammedov, who is on a visit to the United States, was quoted as saying by TDH news agency.

Turkmenistan also aims to multiply oil production 10 times by 2030.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25, 2007 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met the president of gas-rich Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov as both were in New York for the UN General Assembly meeting, US officials said.

A State Department spokesman said the two met briefly at the United Nations to discuss reforms and private investment issues in Turkmenistan, with the meeting also attended by Turkmenistan Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 25, 2007 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met the president of gas-rich Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov as both were in New York for the UN General Assembly meeting, US officials said.

A State Department spokesman said the two met briefly at the United Nations to discuss reforms and private investment issues in Turkmenistan, with the meeting also attended by Turkmenistan Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov.

ASHGABAT, Sept 24, 2007 (AFP) - The head of the energy-rich Central Asian state of Turkmenistan is to meet US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this week as hopes mount for a fresh start in relations.

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov flew to the United States on Sunday and was to meet Rice during the week, as well as address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, officials said.

MOSCOW, Sept 20, 2007 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to meet the president of gas-rich Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to discuss possible US investment in the Central Asian republic, a US official said Thursday.

A spokesman for the US embassy in the Turkmen capital Ashgabad said a 'meeting is scheduled.'

Russia's Kommersant daily newspaper said the talks could take place next week, when Berdymukhamedov is due to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.

MOSCOW, Sept 20, 2007 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to meet the president of gas-rich Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov next week to discuss possible US investment in the isolated Central Asian republic, the Russian daily Kommersant reported Thursday.

Quoting a source close to the US State Department, the newspaper said Rice could meet the Turkmen leader during the UN General Assembly in New York.

Meetings between Turkmen officials and US oil executives in Houston, Texas, are also possible, the source was quoted as saying.

ASHGABAT, Sept 11, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev Tuesday discussed ways to boost bilateral energy ties and diversification of pipeline routes.

'We discussed cooperation on the Caspian Sea issues, partnership in resource export, creation of transport routes, construction of a Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway link and highways,' Berdymukhammedov said.

AMRITSAR, India, Sept 10, 2007 (AFP) - A Turkmenistan Airlines jet carrying 150 passengers aborted takeoff after a wing hit an airport terminal building in northern India on Monday, an official said.

All the passengers on the Boeing aircraft were reported safe and the plane returned to the terminal with a damaged right wing, said Arun Talwar, director of the Amritsar International Airport.

'The aircraft was in the parking area of the tarmac and it was slowly taxiing out when the accident occurred,' Talwar said. 'All passengers are safe.'

ASHGABAT, Aug 30, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has inaugurated construction of a 7,000-kilometre (4,350-mile) gas pipeline to China to be completed by 2009, the official Turkmen newspaper said Wednesday.

The gas will come from an area in eastern Turkmenistan that is estimated to hold 1.3 trillion cubic metres of gas and where China's state-run CNPC energy company has won extraction rights, the state-owned Neutral Turkmenistan daily also said.

ASHGABAT, Aug 23, 2007 (AFP) - The head of exploration and production at oil company BP met on Thursday with Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, president of the gas-rich Central Asian state of Turkmenistan, official media here said.

Andy Inglis said after the meeting that BP was ready to establish close commercial links with Turkmenistan, a tightly controlled one-party state criticised over its human rights record.

'Turkmenistan is always ready for cooperation on the basis of the principles of trust and mutual profit,' Berdymukhammedov said.

BAKU, Aug 22, 2007 (AFP) - Leaders of the five states bordering the energy-rich Caspian Sea will meet for a summit in Tehran in October to discuss long-running disputes over maritime rights, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Wednesday.

The leaders of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan have agreed with Iran to hold the summit on October 16, Ahmadinejad said as he wrapped up a visit to Azerbaijan.

ASHGABAT, Aug 15, 2007 (AFP) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed to boost cooperation with energy-rich Turkmenistan on Wednesday while on a diplomatic offensive in Central Asia amid competing moves by the United States.

After talks with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the Iranian leader stressed that the neighbouring states' shared Islamic culture and said 'Iran supports Turkmenistan in all areas of development.'

ASHGABAT, Aug 5, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmenistan's president and prime minister, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, has taken on another function: that of leader of his country's only political party.

State television reported Sunday that a unanimous vote of the Democratic Party's regional delegates gave the position to Berdymukhammedov.

The president -- who has also been made an army general and a medical doctor's degree since his election in February -- thanked the delegates for their 'great trust'.

ASHGABAT, Aug 3, 2007 (AFP) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is set to visit the gas-rich Central Asian state of Turkmenistan on August 14 for a two-day visit, the official Neitralny Turkmenistan newspaper reported Friday.

Ahmadinejad visited Ashgabat in July 2006, when he met Turkmenistan's former leader, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died in December. His successor, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, visited Tehran in June this year.

ASHGABAT, July 27, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmenistan's energy minister, Tachberdy Tagyiev, will travel to China on Sunday to finalise the details of a big gas deal, the official Neitralny Turkmenistan daily reported on Friday.

'The sides will resolve questions relating to the implementation of agreements signed by the heads of state' of China and Turkmenistan last week in China, the newspaper said.

ASHGABAD, July 23, 2007 (AFP) - Turkmenistan`s first free economic zone was inaugurated over the weekend in the Caspian sea resort of Turkmenbashi, as part of new President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov`s efforts at economic revival of his Central Asian state.

'Turkmenistan will set aside one billion dollars to develop infrastructure' in the area, famous for its clean seawater, mineral springs and healing mud, Berdymukhammedov said, adding that the area is already equipped with sea and airports, highways and railroads.