On 4 March 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with the newly appointed European Union Special Representative for Central Asia, Eduards Stiprais, who arrived in Ashgabat on a visit.
During the meeting, a wide range of issues related to Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the EU and its institutions were discussed.
The sides exchanged views on the development of political and diplomatic partnership through strengthening the legal framework for cooperation and bilateral cooperation mechanisms. In this regard, the importance of the systematic work of the Turkmenistan–EU Joint Committee, the Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue, as well as the Dialogue on Human Rights was emphasized.
The parties discussed cooperation in the fields of energy, transport and connectivity, environmental protection, in particular initiatives to reduce methane emissions and the development of renewable energy sources.
The importance of developing trade and economic ties was stressed. In this regard, they discussed cooperation with EU financial institutions.
Additionally, the meeting focused on the humanitarian area of the partnership, educational projects and programs, strengthening partnership between institutes and research centers. The parties supported the continuation of the practice of conducting trainings and courses within the framework of current and prospective projects.
The sides also discussed preparations for joint events scheduled for the current year.
Meeting with the Chairperson of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan
The same day Eduards Stiprais met with the Chairperson of the Parliament of Turkmenistan, Dunyagozel Gulmanova.
The meeting provided an opportunity to present Turkmenistan’s key domestic and foreign policy initiatives, as well as an overview of the national parliament’s structure and functions.
The parties underscored the importance of long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation between Turkmenistan and the EU, highlighting it as a central pillar of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy.
They stressed the progress made through recent agreements, specifically noting the value of exchanging legislative and parliamentary best practices, interparliamentary dialogues, and joint training seminars.
The effectiveness of platforms such as the EU-Turkmenistan Interparliamentary Dialogue, the Dialogue on Human Rights, and consultative meetings in the EU-Central Asia format was emphasized. The meeting concluded with both sides expressing their commitment to further enhancing cooperation, based in principles of mutual respect, equality, and trust, through active parliamentary diplomacy.///nCa, 5 March 2025