One year after the 'president for life' Niyazov died, Turkmenistan is still one of the most closed to the world societies in the realm of the former Eastern bloc. Fortunately enough for the country, its foreign partners, especially at this moment, look only on its significant natural gas reserves. At least five complementary or completely alternative pipeline projects, real or still on the drawing board, witness the international investors' interest for this Central Asian republic. These projects have no conditions attached, other than for protecting the interests of the big companies ready to invest significant money in building thousand-miles long pipelines in all directions. For the small investors, however, and just for the 'ordinary' people, Turkmenistan would remain as if nothing changed since Niyazov.

When the former president or dictator if you prefer suddenly died from a heart attack approximately a year ago, there were hopes, including here, that this event could trigger political opening, even liberalization of some kind. A year later, these hopes still remain unaccomplished. More than that, the regime actually never attempted anything more than some minor personal changes. The elite, a fusion of former communist party apparatchiks and directors of state-run enterprises, of the arrogance and the incompetence, remains intact, and the policy it pursues is basically the same as that of the late president Niyazov.

The international media coverage of Turkmenistan changed significantly since his death largely because of some big energy projects; this coverage shouldn't be read as a letter of invitation for the small investors, or for the 'ordinary' people looking for pleasant pastime in some exotic locations. Time and again, large western companies are making the same mistake of trying to play by the market economy rules in a country controlled by elites that see these companies only as temporary providers of technological know-how and bank guarantees. Turkmenistan, like Russia, doesn't need new foreign masters to share its gas reserves with. Once the investments are made, the contracts are signed, and the guarantees are given, the foreigners will find the hard way out, under the pressure of the predatory regime and its judiciary henchmen.

Turkmenistan can choose between customers given its strategic location in Central Asia. As many as five alternative gas pipelines can stretch to Russia, Europe, Middle East, India, and China. Some of them are already fully operational; some are still on the drawing board. Making all of them operational will make the country more independent from foreign influence. This is another reason why the foreign companies are courted to invest now; any big company comes with certain political influence in certain key countries; the more you have on board, the sooner you will have all the projects up and running. And the sooner you can get rid of all unnecessary middlemen.

Turkmenistan country profile:

• Area: 488,100 sq km
• Population: 5.1 million (July 2007 est.)
• Population growth rate: 1.61% (2007 est.)
• Life expectancy at birth: 68.3 years
• Main ethnic groups: Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, and Russian 4%.
• GDP per capita: purchasing power parity $8,500 (2006 est.)
• Population below poverty line: 58% (2003 est.)
• Main trading partners: Ukraine, Iran, UAE, Azerbaijan, the U.S.A., and Russia.
• Internet users: 65,000 (2007 est.)

(Sources: CIA World Factbook 2007, Reuters)

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See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Turkmenistan.