President of France Nicolas Sarkozy invited Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to pay an official visit to Paris. The text of the French president's message was published today in Turkmen print mass media, the Turkmenistan.ru correspondent reports from Ashgabat. "The development of relations between the European Union and Central Asia, and Turkmenistan in particular, is a priority for France. Turkmenistan indeed plays an important role in these relations," the message says.

The president of Turkmenistan accepted the invitation with gratitude during the talks with French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who arrived in Ashgabat to attend a meeting between the EU Troika and the foreign ministers of Central Asian countries. The visit has been scheduled for the second half of this year when France assumes presidency in the European Union.

During the meeting the sides discussed prospects for the further development of effective partnership focusing on cooperation in the fuel-energy sector, the Turkmen State News Agency (TDH) reports. Having emphasized a high interest being shown by France and Europe in supplies of Turkmenistan's energy resources, Bernard Kouchner expressed readiness to consider any proposals of Turkmenistan in this regard. In turn, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov invited French companies to participate in Turkmenistan's large scale projects in the fuel and energy sphere. As was noted during the talks, a bilateral working group was set up to prepare documents for implementation of large-scale joint projects.

Bernard Kouchner also said the French side can arrange an exhibition of unique archaeological discoveries made in Turkmenistan, home to one the ancient cradles of the world civilization, at Luvre Museum.

Summing up the talks with the Turkmen president in an interview with the TDH, the French foreign minister noted that he was highly impressed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as a politician and a man with great charm. "Mr. President leads the country that is undergoing significant evolution. Energy and evolution are the symbols of the new Turkmenistan. I am happy that I have had the opportunity to meet Mr. President. His is a very enterprising, straightforward and open man. I think this can be explained by the fact that we are both doctors by profession," Bernard Kouchner said.