On Saturday, September 25, under the chairmanship of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, meeting of the Halk Maslahaty (People's Council) of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan was held, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the sacred Independence of Turkmenistan.

 The meeting was attended by elected members of the Halk Maslahaty Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis, heads of state authorities, political parties and public organizations, khyakims of velayats, etraps and cities, honorary elders of the people, representatives of all segments of the population.

 The main topic of discussion on the agenda of the national event was the achievements of the Turkmen state over 30 years of independence.  The priority tasks for the further comprehensive development of Turkmenistan, the implementation of goals and objectives to ensure a prosperous life of the Turkmen people were also discussed.

 In his speech, the President of Turkmenistan noted with satisfaction the enormous achievements of our country over the years of sovereign development.  Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, focusing on the formation of a deep foundation for powerful economic development, voiced the priority directions of the national policy.

 The head of state also emphasized that the oil and gas storehouses of our country, which play a significant role in the accumulation of capital for the stable development of the national economic complex, have become a reliable support of the national economy.

 Turkmenistan, which possesses significant reserves of hydrocarbon resources, shows a responsible approach to the effective use of its impressive energy potential in the interests of its citizens and all of humanity, consistently taking concrete steps in this direction, the President said.

 The leader of the country noted that the diversification of natural gas supplies to world markets is one of the key goals of the energy strategy of our state, which ranks fourth in the world in terms of reserves of “blue fuel.  This is evidenced by the unanimously adopted resolution on reliable and stable transit of energy resources by the UN General Assembly on the proposal of Turkmenistan.

 The President mentioned that the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project is also of great geopolitical and geo-economic importance.  The new energy bridge will make it possible to establish long-term supplies of Turkmen natural gas to the largest countries of South Asia, give a colossal impetus to the socio-economic prosperity of the entire region, strengthen business cooperation, peace and sustainable development here.

 Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also noted the importance of the foreign policy of the state and the high authority of Turkmenistan in the international arena.  As the head of state emphasized, our state will continue to consistently implement a peaceful foreign policy strategy aimed at developing friendly, constructive relations with world countries.

 During the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan signed Decrees on awarding state awards to citizens who distinguished themselves in labor on the occasion of the anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence.

 Before the end of the meeting, the President said that the day before he had finished work on his new book – «Independence is our happiness», in which he made an attempt to describe the national origins of the Turkmen people, the history of independence of our Motherland, and reveal the enduring role of neutrality in solving urgent problems of our time.

 The head of state expressed hope that this book, which he presents to readers in honor of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence, will be useful and interesting to them.

 At the end of the meeting of the People's Council, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was awarded a jubilee medal established in honor of the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence in accordance with the resolution of the Mejlis of the country.