Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Jan. 27/ Trend , E. Hasanov/
An Internet center was launched for the first time at the Turkmenistan National Library as a part of the NATO Virtual Silk Highway program.
NATO's Supreme Council on Science and Technology is the program coordinator in Turkmenistan.
Turkmen President Gurbanguli Berdimuhammedov promised to secure broad access to the Internet when he came to power in 2007.
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan receive high-speed Internet access at lowered costs as a part of Virtual Silk Highway.
The program aims to increase the information exchange between academic and educational institutions in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Communications Minister Rasul Khojagurbanov was dismissed by presidential decree in January 2009. President Berdimuhammedov criticized him for poorly developing the country's Internet.
Khojagurbanov was appointed communications minister in 2001. Turkmentelekom was the only Internet provider in the country during his tenure. The former minister withdrew the licenses of all international postal services, such as DHL and FedEX. He also attempted to limit access to satellite TV.
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