President Niyazov has given his new oil and gas minister just six months to learn English (AFP)
16 December 2005 -- Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov has appointed a new oil and gas minister and ordered him to learn English within six months.
Niyazov appointed Gurbanmyrat Atayev as oil and gas minister, succeeding Atamurad Berdyev, who is the new economy and finance minister. Atayev was previously deputy oil and gas minister.
In comments broadcast on national television, Niyazov told Atayev: "Learn English. In six months, you must have learned it."
Turkmenistan is the biggest gas producer in Central Asia and has set a production target this year of 70 billion cubic meters
(Reuters)