On Thursday, 19 May 2022, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation.
As an honorary guest, Arkadag Berdimuhamedov took part in the 13th International Economic Summit “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanSummit 2022”.
The program of the one-day visit was full of events and meetings. The head of the Halk Maslahaty met with the leadership of Tatarstan and made remarks at the plenary session of KazanSummit 2022.
About the International Economic Summit “Russia – Islamic World: KazanSummit”
“Russia – Islamic World: KazanSummit” is the main platform for economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the countries of the Islamic world. For the first time, the International Economic Summit of Russia and the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was held in 2009. The event is aimed at strengthening trade, economic, scientific, technical, social and cultural ties between Russia and the OIC countries.
The key theme of the business program of the current three–day summit “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanSummit 2022” is the economy of shared consumption and the universal benefit of Halal. The fifty sessions of the forum are devoted to such issues as Islamic finance and partner banking, the Halal industry, youth diplomacy, export development, entrepreneurship and investment. 5,000 delegates from 72 countries and 38 regions of Russia are taking part in the summit.
Address at the KazanSummit 2022
Addressing the participants of the forum, Arkadag Berdimuhamedov noted that the holding of the International Economic Summit “Russia – the Islamic World” in Kazan is a vivid evidence that Tatarstan plays a special unique role in strengthening relations of friendship and mutual understanding between Russia and the countries of the Islamic world.
Traditionally, Tatarstan initiates and hosts many projects and ideas aimed at developing interstate cooperation in the economic, trade, investment, and humanitarian spheres. Such a mission is especially in demand today, it is designed to preserve and solidify the foundation on which the culture of Russian-Islamic civilizational dialogue has been created and enriched from time immemorial, the worldview and spiritual closeness of the peoples of multinational Russia and Muslim countries have been formed.
This beneficial contribution of Tatarstan is fully demonstrated in the context of the development of Turkmen-Russian interstate cooperation, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed.
Due to historical ties, Tatarstan occupies a particular place in the strategic partnership of Turkmenistan with the Russian Federation. Our relations have the most positive impact on the course and nature of bilateral cooperation, enrich and give additional strength and stability to the entire complex of interstate dialogue, meet mutual long-term interests, he said.
Recently, Turkmen-Tatarstan relations have gain an additional powerful impetus, bringing them to a new level. The partnership in the economic and investment spheres is successfully developing. In this context, Berdimuhamedov mentioned the activities of major companies from Tatarstan such as KAMAZ, Tatneft, KER-Holding, Kazan Helicopter Plant, Ak-Bars Shipbuilding Corporation and others in Turkmenistan. They have proven themselves well in our country and we intend to continue building mutually beneficial partnerships with them, he added.
Cooperation is also developing fruitfully in the field of aviation and shipbuilding, in a number of other areas. In the light of Turkmenistan’s focus on the creation of new industries, the production of high-quality and export-oriented products, there are great opportunities for partnership in the field of mechanical engineering, oil production and refining, and the petrochemical industry, where Turkmenistan and Tatarstan have serious potential, Berdimuhamedov told.
Favorable conditions for successful cooperation are also available in the agricultural, food and processing industries, in the fields of science, healthcare, and sports, in the field of high technologies and high-tech industries, he underlined.
“Today, this is a priority area for Turkmenistan, and we would like to intensify our cooperation with Tatarstan partners, taking into account the powerful scientific and scientific-production potential,” Arkadag Berdimuhamedov said.
For many years, Turkmenistan has been sending its youth to study in Tatarstan, where today about 5,000 Turkmen students study at leading universities. Our country is going to increase the number of students sent to higher educational institutions of Tatarstan every year, gradually expand the range of training, focusing on specialists in the field of modern high technologies, said Arkadag.
Confirming Turkmenistan’s intention to expand the space of partnership corresponds to the principles of the strategy of interstate relations between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation, stressed Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty.
“Today, here in the capital of Tatarstan, we are taking another important step together to restore and fully develop historical ties between the peoples of Russia and Islamic countries, expand and strengthen economic, trade, cultural and humanitarian partnership. Turkmenistan is ready to contribute to this process in every possible way, to contribute to the development of existing and the creation of new formats of multilateral cooperation”, Arkadag Berdimuhamedov emphasized.
On this path, the destinies of our peoples have always been closely intertwined, and Turkmenistan sees its future in friendship, cooperation and mutual understanding with the Russia and the nations of the Islamic world, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty said at the end of his speech. [this passage of the report is based on TDH coverage]
Meeting with the Minister of Economic Development of Russia
On the sidelines of the summit, Arkadag Berdimuhamedov met with the Minister of Economic Development of Russia Maxim Reshetnikov.
Reshetnikov expressed readiness to support the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkmenistan and the EAEU through involving specialists, experts, and organizing consultative seminars.
“These are new opportunities both for your country and for the entire Eurasian space. We look forward to Turkmenistan’s more active work on the Eurasian track,” he said.
He also stressed that in the current conditions, new opportunities are emerging in particular in the transport and logistics sector.
He highlighted the prospects for the project to create an international North-South transport corridor. “The eastern route of this project will involve the infrastructure located on the territory of Turkmenistan, which means there are opportunities to increase mutual supplies and ensure saturation of the markets of our countries with necessary goods,” he explained.
The implementation of the Agroexpress project is one of the examples of using the North-South corridor. “We are already successfully developing it with Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan. We will be pleased to see Turkmenistan among our partners. Including within the framework of the Eurasian Agroexpress project. I know that relevant memorandum has already been developed to consolidate the agreements,” minister said.
Reshetnikov emphasized that all investment projects with Russian participation remain relevant.
The sides noted positive trends in the growth of bilateral trade. The Turkmen-Russian partnership is successfully developing in the oil and gas and gas chemical sectors, the automotive industry, shipbuilding, trade and other industries.
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, Tatarstan State Councilor Mintimer Shaimiev and Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin attended the meeting.
Meeting with the head of the Parliament of Tatarstan
During the meeting with the Chairman of the State Council of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin, the issues of further development of bilateral inter-parliamentary relations were discussed.
Arkadag Berdimuhamedov spoke in favor of intensifying contacts between the parliaments of Turkmenistan and Tatarstan within the framework of Turkmen-Russian cooperation.
The sides noted the high level of mutual understanding in the Turkmen-Tatarstan relations.
They mentioned the importance of the Interparliamentary Forum of Central Asian and Russian countries recently held in Turkmenistan.
Taking into account that the issues of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, cooperation in trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres should always be in the field of view of parliamentarians, Turkmenistan is determined to step up common efforts in this area, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.
In this context, the expediency of establishing an effective partnership between the upper house of Turkmen parliament and the State Council of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation was noted.
Berdimuhamedov underlined that Russia has always been a strategic partner of Turkmenistan, close interregional cooperation between the two states has been established. “At the same time, Tatarstan shares the bulk of the trade turnover between Turkmenistan and Russia,” he said, “I am confident that our relationships will only grow stronger in the future”.
Humanitarian ties between Tatarstan and Turkmenistan are also developing successfully.
“A large number of students from Turkmenistan are studying in the universities of our republic today,” said Farid Mukhametshin.
According to him, the Turkmen national and cultural association is actively working as part of the Assembly of Peoples of Tatarstan, which unites representatives of 173 nationalities.
Arkadag Berdimuhamedov invited the members of the State Council of Tatarstan to visit Ashgabat.
Meeting with the State Adviser of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev
During the meeting with Tatarstan State Adviser Mintimer Shaimiev, Arkadag Berdimuhamedov noted that he considers the invitation to participate in events dedicated to the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by Volga Bulgaria, as well as in KazanSummit 2022 as evidence of traditional historical ties between the Turkmen and Tatar peoples.
Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty stressed that Mintimer Shaimiev, as the first President of Tatarstan, has greatly contributed to the development of Turkmen-Tatarstan cooperation for a long time.
Mintimer Shaimiev briefed Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov about the activities of the Republican Renaissance Foundation for the preservation of historical and cultural heritage.
The sides expressed confidence that mutual enrichment of cultures based on long-standing traditions of friendship will continue to contribute to the deepening and development of bilateral relations.
Meeting with Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov
Rustam Minnikhanov recalled that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.
“Despite the difficulties, our cooperation has not only not been suspended, but also continues to grow stronger. A great merit in this belongs, of course, to you, dear Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich,” Minnikhanov said.
He stressed that a number of Tatarstan industrial enterprises have been operating in Turkmenistan for many years, including KAMAZ PJSC, Tatneft PJSC, KER-Holding, Kazan Helicopter Plant and others.
“Fraternal Tatarstan will remain a reliable partner,” Minnikhanov assured.
“Turkmenistan is ready to further develop our successful mutually beneficial cooperation. We are connected by centuries-old historical ties, and this is very important for us. We have great respect for the hardworking, wise people of Tatarstan,” Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said in turn.
The meeting was also attended by Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin, heads of PJSC Tatneft, PJSC KAMAZ, LLC UK KER-Holding, LLC Eidos-Medicine.
The CEOs of Tatarstan companies briefly reported on the projects implemented in partnership with Turkmenistan, on further prospects for cooperation.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov awarded the State Award of Tatarstan
Rustam Minnikhanov awarded Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with the highest state award of the Republic of Tatarstan – the Order of Merit for the Republic of Tatarstan.
“It is a great honor for me to accept the highest award of the Republic of Tatarstan,” Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said. “I regard this as a sign of great respect of fraternal Tatarstan to the people of Turkmenistan.” ///nCa, 20 May 2022 (photo source – press service of President of Tatarstan)