Elvira Kadyrova
Putin invited SerdarGB to visit Russia
On Friday, 8 April 2022, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov had a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Heads of State congratulated each other on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
They also discussed topical issues on the bilateral agenda and prospects for cooperation in regional formats, including within the framework of the Caspian five.
During the telephone conversation, the sides noted the positive dynamics of the development of relations in trade, economic, energy, cultural, humanitarian and other fields.
Putin invited Serdar Berdimuhamedov to pay a visit to Russia. The invitation was gratefully accepted.
President of Turkmenistan met with the Russian Deputy Prime Minister
On Saturday, 9 April 2022, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received Alexey Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Russian Commission on Economic Cooperation.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov praised the level of interstate relations built on a solid foundation of strategic partnership that meets the interests of the two neighboring peoples.
As noted, both countries successfully cooperate not only in a bilateral format, but also on international platforms, providing mutual support for international initiatives and proposals.
During the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan and the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia discussed prospects for cooperation in such key areas as trade, economy, fuel and energy sector, agriculture, light and processing industry, transport and communication sector. In this context, the role of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Russian Commission on Economic Cooperation was highlighted.
The parties expressed an interest to intensify relations in the cultural and humanitarian sphere, including in the field of science and education, tourism.
Special emphasis was placed on the issues of partnership in the field of Caspian Sea development. In particular, the possibilities of cooperation in the field of shipbuilding were discussed.
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On 8 April 2022, Turkmenistan and Russia marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Over the 30-year period, a large contractual and legal framework has been created between the countries, totaling over 100 interstate, intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements.
“Relations between Moscow and Ashgabat are characterized by equality and mutual respect, careful consideration of each other’s interests. Their core elements remain dynamic trade and economic ties, mutually beneficial cooperation between regions, constructive interaction on key international and regional platforms, including the CIS, the Caspian Five, as well as the UN, OSCE and the CA5+ Russia dialogue,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
The two countries are effectively cooperating on issues on the regional agenda, including on Afghan issues, both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the Moscow format of consultations on Afghanistan.
Russia highly values the neutral status of Turkmenistan, which in fact proves itself as a factor in maintaining peace, security and stable development in Central Asia and the Caspian region.
Humanitarian ties occupy an important place in bilateral cooperation. There is a joint Pushkin Russian-Turkmen secondary school in Ashgabat, and a school named after Makhtumkuli Fragi in the village of Funtovo in the Astrakhan region. The number of Turkmen students studying in Russia is growing every year.
Co-Chairs of Joint Turkmen-Russian Commission for Economic Cooperation met in Ashgabat
On 9 April 2022, DPM, foreign minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Alexey Overchuk, who arrived in the Turkmen capital on a working visit. The negotiations were held in narrow and expanded formats.
The meeting in an expanded format was also attended by heads and representatives of a number of ministries and departments of the leading sectors of the economy of Turkmenistan and Russia.
Meredov and Overchuk stated that the current visit of the Russian delegation to Turkmenistan indicates a high level of bilateral strategic cooperation.
In this context, the need for further development and strengthening of bilateral ties in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres was expressed. The positive experience of cooperation within the framework of international and regional organizations was emphasized. The parties also touched upon issues related to the development of the legal framework of cooperation.
The important role of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Russian Commission on Economic Cooperation in the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation was emphasized. In this context, cooperation in the field of energy, gas chemistry, industry, transport, logistics, trade, mechanical engineering, agriculture and other promising areas of mutual interest of the parties have become priority topics of the current negotiations.
During the meeting, a presentation of the strategic development vectors of the EAEU until 2025 was also held. The priorities of partnership in the banking sector, land cadastre, tax administration were also discussed.
The sides highly appreciated the dynamics of bilateral trade. Speaking about the growth rates of trade and economic ties, the parties considered promising areas of mutually beneficial cooperation. In this regard, the active development of Turkmenistan’s contacts with the regions of the Russian Federation was particularly noted.
Noting the huge mutual potential in the cultural and humanitarian direction, the parties agreed to continue to pay close attention to the expansion of active dialogue in the field of education, science, culture. [MFA Turkmenistan]
Astrakhan region and Turkmenistan intend to increase trade
The development of tourism, promotion of Russian-made fish products, opening air links with Astrakhan – these and other issues were discussed during the visit of the head of the Astrakhan region Igor Babushkin to Ashgabat. He arrived in the capital of Turkmenistan as part of a Russian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Alexey Overchuk.
Babushkin held a number of meetings in Ashgabat aimed at further implementation of existing agreements.
According to the press service of the Governor of the Astrakhan region, at the meeting with the DPM, foreign minister Rashid Meredov, special attention was paid to increasing mutual trade and further development of transport and logistics cooperation.
The parties discussed the projects to create a logistics center of Turkmenistan in the Astrakhan region and establishing regular ferry service between the Caspian ports of Olya and Turkmenbashi. These initiatives will contribute to the intensification of trade and cargo transportation between Russia and Turkmenistan along the Caspian Sea within the framework of the North–South corridor.
They have also agreed on the possibility of promoting the products of Astrakhan fishermen to the Turkmen market. Astrakhan enterprises are ready to supply fresh-frozen, dried and canned fish and caviar products to Turkmenistan.
They also discussed issues of reproduction of sturgeon and salmon fish species both for the purposes of preserving the biodiversity of the Caspian basin and for commercial production.
Discussing the tourism development, the Governor of the Astrakhan region proposed Turkmen partners to create tours to the national tourist zone Avaza and open regular flights from Astrakhan to Turkmenbashi.
Babushkin also met with the Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammethan Chakiyev.
They discussed transport and logistics issues, cooperation in the field of shipbuilding.
Babuskin mentioned vast opportunities for Astrakhan enterprises to implement a number of large shipbuilding orders for Turkmenistan. The parties agreed that in the near future a delegation of Astrakhan shipbuilders will visit Ashgabat to discuss the details of further cooperation. /// nCa, 11 April 2022