President Alexander Lukashenko, appointing the new Ambassador of Belarus to Ashgabat Vyacheslav Beskosty, stated the need to normalize relations with Turkmenistan after the Garlyk mining and processing plant built by the Belarusian contractor did not reach full production capacity.
"We have always had brilliant and good relations with Turkmenistan. And the problems that exist today (and they exist and will always exist with any state) - it is necessary to meet with officials who were engaged in the construction there, especially the Garlyk plant, it is necessary to get out of this situation with dignity. It is not the case that we with the friendly people begin to arrange disassembly in the courts, " Lukashenka is quoted by the website of the President of Belarus.
The Belarusian leader expressed confidence that it is wrong with the friendly people "To arrange disassembly in the courts", besides, there is nothing good in the fact that the Garlyk mining and processing plant is currently idle.
"And then, what good is that today this plant is idle. It has long been possible to extract potassium salt, sell and get huge profits. A billion and a half a year they can easily have income. Market nearby. Therefore, it is necessary to talk with Myasnikovich – he is dealing with this problem closely, to talk with those who built it (Garlyk mining and processing plant-Approx.), to clarify once again what problems and how we will solve them. This is the main issue that establishes normal relations. I think this should be addressed, " Alexander Lukashenko said.
Alexander Lukashenko stressed that "We should resume this conversation, not spooling to each other", while expressing hope that the existing diplomatic experience will allow Beskosty to work in Turkmenistan "in the right direction."
Recall, the largest mining complex in Garlyk for the production of potash fertilizers worth more than 1 billion us dollars has been built since 2009 by the Belarusian OJSC "Belgorkhimprom". Under the terms of contact with the state concern "Turkmenhimiya" the contractor undertook to hand over the facility in 2015. However, the specialists of the company could not keep the schedule and only two years later – on March 31, 2017 – the plant was inaugurated by the presidents of Turkmenistan and Belarus.
According to the project, the enterprise is designed for the extraction and processing of seven million tons of ore and the production of 1.4 million tons of potash fertilizers. However, the capacity of production declared by the contractor in the first year – 350 thousand tons – was not achieved even by 5 percent, as a result of which the Turkmen side still suffers significant losses.
