On 30 October 2023, Deputy Prime Minister of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov held talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu, who arrived in Ashgabat on an official visit.
During the meeting, topical aspects of bilateral cooperation in the priority areas of political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian character were discussed, MFA Turkmenistan says.
Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have reached a new level of strategic partnership, their foreign ministers agreed during a meeting on Thursday. High-level contacts play a decisive role in activating interaction between the two countries, they said.
The ministers discussed the implementation of agreements reached during state visits by the presidents of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
They also noted the high level of cooperation between the two states in multilateral formats, such as the UN, OIC, ECO, CIS, and “CA+.”
In this context, foreign minister of Turkmenistan expressed gratitude to the Kazakh side for its support of international initiatives and co-authorship of UN resolutions initiated by Turkmenistan.
The ministers also agreed to organize a meeting of the Turkmen-Kazakhstan interparliamentary group of friendship next year.
Along with this, the sides discussed the international and regional agenda, where the views and positions of the two countries coincide or are similar on many issues.
The ministers also agreed to increase the pace and dynamics of interaction between the Foreign ministries of the two countries.
Particular attention was paid to the aspects of cooperation on the Caspian Sea and within the framework of the IFAS.
Noting the steady expansion of their trade and economic partnership, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan agreed to take coordinated measures to boost trade volumes. This includes reactivating the Working Group on increasing trade and expanding the range of goods supplied between the two countries, holding the Turkmen-Kazakh Business Council, and exchanging business delegations. The joint Intergovernmental Turkmen-Kazakh Commission on Economic, Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation will play an important role in this work.
During their meeting, the ministers identified the key areas and prospects for cooperation in the fuel and energy complex, oil and gas industry, chemical industry, textile sector, agriculture, ecology and environmental protection, rational use of water resources in the region, transport and logistics, and communications and telecommunications.
They also agreed on the need to strengthen ties between the regions of the two countries.
In terms of cultural and humanitarian relations, the ministers noted the potential for cooperation in education, science, mass media, and cultural exchanges. In particular, they discussed intensifying direct inter-university contacts, organizing cross-cultural Days, and holding joint events to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Turkmen poet Magtymguly Fragi.
To further enhance joint work in the political and diplomatic direction, the two sides signed a Cooperation Program between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2024-2026.///nCa, 31 October 2023 [Photo credit – MFA Turkmenistan]
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