Black Gold
Turkmenistan's massive oil and gas reserves are as yet untapped. Despite some lauding the prospects of the country, it continues to remain underdeveloped and a small player on the global stage.
Credited with the potential to become another Kuwait, there is one main stumbling block on Turkmenistan's road to instant wealth; it can't sell its oil to the rest of the world. International sanctions prevent the building of a pipeline through Iran and into Turkey. The USA Ambassador backs up claims that the country has a huge unrealised oil potential. Otherwise Turkmenistan's main exports are camels and pedigree race horses - often given as gifts to visiting dignitaries. One man already exploiting Turkmenistan's oil potential is former communist leader and self-styled President Saparmurat Niyazov Turkmenbashi. His personality cult and photograph appear everywhere; even at a folk music competition. He rejects a multi-party democracy as too unstable. We interview Turkmenistan's Vice Premier and look inside a country shaking off its communist isolation.
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