On Wednesday, 23 August 2023, the head of the Balkan region of Turkmenistan met via videoconference with the governor of the Astrakhan region of Russia Igor Babushkin. During the meeting, the parties discussed promising areas of cooperation, says the press service of the Ministry of External Relations of the Astrakhan region.
The meeting was attended from the Russian side by Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Astrakhan region Denis Afanasyev, Minister of External Relations of the region Vladimir Golovkov, Deputy Minister of Industry, Trade and Energy of the region Mikhail Kabakov, from the Turkmen side – acting head of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi Seyitguly Bayseidov, Director of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan for the Balkan Velayat Batyr Yusubov.
“Turkmenistan is one of the main international partners for our region. We have many joint projects in the fields of trade, logistics, industry, culture and education. I am sure that the Balkan provine will be able to take an active part in their implementation,” Babushkin said.
Transport, logistics, shipbuilding
Igor Babushkin stressed that the development of cargo transportation in the Caspian Sea is of particular importance for the Astrakhan region, which is the most important section of the North–South International Transport Corridor. This will be facilitated by the establishment of a regular shipping line between the ports of the Astrakhan region and the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi.
According to Babushkin, the Astrakhan port infrastructure is ready to receive all types of vessels and handle all types of cargo. The new shipping line between Astrakhan and Turkmenbashi will help to increase cargo transportation between the two cities.
The governor considers shipbuilding to be an important area of cooperation with Turkmenistan.
“Our shipbuilders are ready to fulfill orders on the terms of industrial cooperation with Turkmen colleagues,” the head of the Astrakhan region noted.
He added that the assembly of ship hulls could be done in Astrakhan, with the final outfitting and retrofitting taking place in Turkmenistan’s Balkan shipyard.
In turn, Khojamyrat Ashyrmyradov briefed on the implementation of transport and logistics projects in the Balkan region. The priority is the development of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi.
According to him, the total capacity of the Turkmenbashi port averages about 17 million tons of cargo per year, excluding petroleum products, including 300,000 passengers, 75,000 trucks, 400,000 containers, 3 million tons of bulk and 4 million tons of general cargo.
The head of the Balkan province told that the development of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi opens up wide opportunities for cooperation with the Astrakhan region in the transport and logistics sphere.
“I believe that this will contribute to the further development of trade and economic ties between our countries and regions,” Ashyrmyradov stressed.
The acting head of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi, Seyitguly Bayseidov recalled that at the meeting in Astrakhan, which took place in early 2023, mutual interest in the development of linear shipping between Astrakhan ports and the port of Turkmenbashi was confirmed.
“We are ready to continue contacts with Astrakhan colleagues in this direction,” he said.
Tourism
According to Igor Babushkin, tourism is a promising area of cooperation.
As the head of the Astrakhan region noted, geographically, the Avaza tourist zone is much closer to the south of Russia than most foreign resorts. The flight from Astrakhan to Turkmenbashi will take about an hour.
In this regard, the Governor raised the issue of opening regular flights in this direction and facilitating the visa regime for Russian tourists in Avaza.
Igor Babushkin informed his colleagues that a modern comfortable vessel, the Peter the Great, is being completed in the Astrakhan region. It will begin making tourist voyages along the Caspian Sea in 2024, with a stopover in Turkmenistan.
In turn, the acting head of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi, Seyitguly Bayseidov, said that issues of the possibility of receiving Peter the Great in the seaport of Turkmenistan are currently being worked out.
Astrakhan is preparing for the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly
The Governor of the Astrakhan region informed the Turkmen side about the preparation of a program of events in the region on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the thinker, poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi.
Noting the special role of municipalities in interregional cooperation, the governor proposed to intensify contacts between the twin cities of Astrakhan and Turkmenbashi by organizing mutual visits of delegations to discuss areas of joint work.
Igor Babushkin invited the governor of the Balkan province to pay a working visit to the Astrakhan region.
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In 2022, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Astrakhan Region and the Balkan Velayat of Turkmenistan, as well as a twinning agreement between the cities of Astrakhan and Turkmenbashi. ///nCa, 24 August 2023