(JOURNEYMAN PICTURES) 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.
