A committee on managing free economic zones will be set up in Turkmenistan, Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at a government meeting held in Balkan province on 29 September.

"The project on creation of the world-standard seaside resort, which started more than one year ago, has received wide support of the international business community and big investment companies. The Avaza project has kick started a fundamentally new approach to economic development of Turkmenistan related to operation of free economic zones that will be up and running in Turkmenistan in the near future," Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.

The head of state instructed relevant officials to carefully work over this issue, the Turkmenistan.ru correspondent reports from Ashgabat.