Turkmen Leader Names New Oil And Gas Minister
December 16, 2005
President Niyazov has given his new oil and gas minister just six months to learn English (AFP)
Niyazov appointed Gurbanmyrat Atayev as oil and gas minister, succeeding Atamurad Berdyev, who is the new economy and finance minister. Atayev was previously deputy oil and gas minister.
In comments broadcast on national television, Niyazov told Atayev: "Learn English. In six months, you must have learned it."
Turkmenistan is the biggest gas producer in Central Asia and has set a production target this year of 70 billion cubic meters
(Reuters)