* Government sees energy-driven economy growing 7.5 pct
* Plans to diversify economy, boost foreign investment
* Seeks to escape 'personality cult' legacy of ex-leader
By Marat Gurt
ASHGABAT, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Turkmenistan, Central Asia's largest natural gas producer, said on Monday it expected gross domestic output growth to accelerate to 7.5 percent in 2010 from last year's 6.1 percent.
The official forecast, released during an investment forum in the Turkmen capital, offered a rare sign of openness from the reclusive desert nation, where economic indicators are hard to come by and have tended to be viewed with scepticism by outsiders.
"One of our key tasks is ... Turkmenistan's entry into the world's club of developed nations," Deputy Prime Minister Tuvakmammed Japarov told the forum.
Turkmenistan holds the world's fourth-largest natural gas reserves and aims to triple annual output of around 75 billion cubic metres (bcm) within 20 years.
It also hopes to diversify its economy and aims to increase levels of foreign investment, with President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov having ditched some of the more quirky policies of his authoritarian predecessor, veteran leader Saparmurat Niyazov, as well as embarking on economic reforms.
Niyazov established a personality cult under which he renamed the months of the year and banned a range of products and activities, including circuses, ballet and gold false teeth.
Since his death in 2006, Turkmenistan's economic data has begun to gain more credibility among independent economists and international lenders, though the oil and gas industry remains under tight state control.
According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's latest World Factbook survey, the country's now ranks 102nd in the world in terms of GDP per capita, sandwiched between Nepal and Honduras.
LOOKING BEYOND RUSSIA
Also keen to lessen its heavy dependence on gas exports to its traditional partner Russia, Turkmenistan last year launched a natural gas pipeline to China and has since agreed to boost exports to neighbouring Iran.
Reviving a plan to build a trans-Afghan pipeline to the markets of Pakistan and India is also on the agenda, as well as the construction of an alternative export route to Europe, known as Nabucco, which would bypass Russia.
Japarov said that Turkmenistan was planning to turn into an exporter of manufactured output, developing from its current status as an exporter of raw materials.
Official data show that total investment, including foreign loans, in Turkmenistan's economy is expected to reach up to $57 billion in the 2011-15 period.
That includes plans for economic diversification and studies to confirm the nation's existing hydrocarbon reserves.
Foreign investors committed around $10 billion this year for the development of the South Iolotan gas deposit, one of the world's biggest gas fields.
Japarov said while the energy sector would continue playing a key role in the economy, the government would also develop petrochemical industry, production of construction materials, light industry, including textiles, electronics and others.
(Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by John Stonestreet)