On October 8, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held a meeting with President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who arrived in Turkmenistan to take part in the high-level events held in the Avaza National Tourist Zone.

Warmly welcoming the leader of the friendly country, the Turkmen leader thanked the distinguished guest for accepting the invitation to visit Turkmenistan to take part in the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan and in the meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State. As President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted, the participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in these important international events is of particular significance.

Our country highly values the personal attention President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pays to developing regional cooperation, the Head of State said, stressing that the meetings in Avaza are seen as an opportunity for an open exchange of views, the development of joint approaches and the identification of new areas of practical cooperation. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed confidence that the Uzbek leader’s current visit to Turkmenistan would also help further strengthen friendly ties between our states.

Thanking him for the warm words and hospitality, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated the Turkmen leader on the successful holding of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Expressing confidence that the decisions adopted there would contribute to the steady development of interstate partnership, the President of Uzbekistan took the opportunity to convey his heartfelt greetings to Hero-Arkadag.

During the meeting, it was noted that friendly, good-neighborly Turkmen-Uzbek relations are long-term and strategic in nature.

Turkmenistan attaches particular importance to developing fruitful cooperation with the Republic of Uzbekistan. Our countries are united not only geographically but also by a historically established cultural and spiritual commonality.

Highlighting the fruitful interaction within the UN, the ECO and the CIS, where the two sides consistently support each other’s initiatives, the Head of State noted that the full mutual understanding and openness characteristic of the Turkmen-Uzbek dialogue at the highest level are an important factor in developing a mutually beneficial strategic partnership. This, in turn, creates a solid foundation for comprehensive cooperation and for filling it with new, concrete substance.

Noting that solid experience has been accumulated in interstate cooperation in trade and economics, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov cited as clear evidence the opening of the Turkmen-Uzbek Cross-Border Trade Zone in November last year.

One of the promising areas of bilateral cooperation is partnership in transport and logistics. The very favorable geographic features of our countries create opportunities for joint projects in this field.

Separately noting the key role of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, the Head of State stressed that holding Days of Culture and festivals, along with regular dialogue between figures in the arts and sciences, will give a powerful impetus to the mutual enrichment of ties between our peoples and the strengthening of bilateral relations.

At the end of the meeting, expressing confidence that the traditionally friendly interstate dialogue will continue to grow stronger, the leaders of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan wished each other good health and success in their state activities, and the fraternal peoples of both countries well-being and prosperity.

Following the meeting, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the Treaty on the Establishment of the Supreme Council for Strategic Partnership between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

State News Agency of Turkmenistan