Turkmenistan and Italy signed a number of bilateral cooperation agreements during Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's visit on Wednesday.
The agreements were signed following energy talks involving Berdymukhamedov and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The agreements included a protocol of intent signed by Italian oil and gas group Eni and Turkmenistan's state hydrocarbon resources agency.
The European Union considers Turkmenistan a possible key supplier of natural gas for the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline, due to bring Caspian gas via the Balkans to Central Europe and reduce the EU's dependence on Russian gas.
Turkmenistan is making huge efforts to bring its energy resources to global markets. Italy's oil and gas concern Eni has shown interest in the Turkmen hydrocarbon market.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992. Italy is Turkmenistan's eighth largest foreign trade partner. According to Turkmen statistics, bilateral trade in the first 10 months of 2009 exceeded $385 million.
ROME, November 25 (RIA Novosti)
