The first general meeting of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan took place in Ashgabat on 24 July. A number of priority issues relating to the regulation of activities of the Academy of Sciences were on the meeting''s agenda. The meeting also adopted the Charter of the Academy of Sciences and the Regulation of the subordinate institutes.

During the meeting, Turkmenistan''s eldest academician M.O. Karryev put forward a proposal to elect Doctor of Medical Sciences Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov academician of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan. Following a secret ballot, the candidacy of the Turkmen leader was adopted unanimously, said the "Watan" channel of the national television said yesterday.