Information agencies have recently observed increased German activity in Turkmenistan. Its most recent manifestation was the Turkmen-German Economic Forum held in Ashgabat on February 26.

The delegation consisted of representatives of Germany’s big banks and well-known companies, including Siemens AG, Mannesmann Fuchs Rohr GmbH, Wintershall Holding AG, MAN Ferrostaal AG, Wirtgen International GmbH, LEMKEN GmbH & Co.KG, Claas KgaA, TEXTIMA Export Import GmbH. The Turkmen delegation was represented by heads and senior specialists from a number of Turkmenistan’s ministries and organizations.

During the talks, the sides paid particular attention to discussing ways to strengthen cooperation in the banking and finances sector, as well as to expand cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, namely science, education, culture, sports and tourism, the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports.

Among participants of the forum was the German Minister of Economics and Technology, Michael Glos, whom president Berdymukhammedov offered the participation of German companies in the development of gas fields in the Turkmen shelf.

There’s nothing strange about this, as Germany is the most active country in the EU as far as policy in Central Asia is concerned. It was during the German Presidency that the EU adopted its strategy towards Central Asia. More and more German companies are looking for commercial partners in the region, including in Turkmenistan. Among them are e.g. Siemens and Wintershall.

German policy in the region is very pragmatic and consequently also effective. Let’s take the success it has had in Turkmenistan, the very good German-Uzbek relations or Berlin being allowed to maintain its military base in the Uzbek city of Termez after the Andijan events (while the U.S. had to withdraw its troops from Uzbekistan).

One of the characteristic features of German policy is its acceptance of the brutal reality, no matter how morally doubtful it is. The Germans e.g. insisted on lifting the sanctions imposed by the EU on Uzbekistan after the Andijan massacre, arguing that the EU is anyway unable to force Tashkent to improve human rights observance, for which they were strongly criticized by human rights activists. German doctors have traditionally been personal medicians of Turkmen presidents, while the activity of some German companies in the region raises serious doubts. Well, the Germans have always been famous for their Realpolitik …