Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov will start a two-day official visit to Italy on Tuesday, the presidential press service said.

Berdymukhamedov will hold talks with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Local media say a large package of bilateral agreements to expand cooperation is to be signed following the talks, to focus on energy issues.

The European Union considers Turkmenistan as one of the key possible suppliers of natural gas for the EU-backed Nabucco pipeline, due to bring Caspian gas via the Balkans to Central Europe and reduce the EU's dependence on Russian gas.

Turkmenistan is making huge efforts to bring its energy resources to global markets. Italy's oil and gas concern Eni has showed interest in the Turkmen hydrocarbon market.

A Turkmen-Italian business forum is also expected to be held in the Italian capital Rome during the Turkmen leader's visit.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992. Italy is Turkmenistan's eighth largest foreign trade partner. According to Turkmen statistics, bilateral trade in the first 10 months of 2009 exceeded $385 million.

ASHKHABAD, November 24 (RIA Novosti)