Khalifa Visit Brings Exciting Turn in Turkmenistan-UAE Relations

nCa News and Commentary

Ashgabat, 28 February 2008 (nCa) --- Turkmenistan and UAE moved to a higher level of mutual cooperation Wednesday when Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed An-Nayhan, ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of UAE, arrived Ashgabat for a 2-day visit.

Signs, big and small, were there to show that Turkmenistan and UAE enjoy very special relationship.

No definite announcement was made at the end of talks between President Berdymuhamedov and President Sheikh Khalifa An-Nahyan, and neither is one expected at the end of the visit, it is obvious from the composition of the delegations of both sides that some big projects could be on the cards.

The UAE delegation led by Sheikh Khalifa consists of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, adviser to President, Mohammed bin Dhaen Al Hamili, Minister of Energy, Sultan Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, and Muhammed Khabrush Al-Sweidi, President’s personal advisor.

This, in fact, is the entire decision-making team of UAE, sans ruler of Dubai.

President Berdymuhamedov’s team is composed of Reshit Meredov, first deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Turkmenistan, Tachberdy Tagiyev, deputy prime minister for oil and gas, Khydr Saparliev, deputy prime minister for education, deputy prime minister Gurbannazar Ashyrov, deputy prime minister Nazarguly Shaguliyev, deputy prime minister Khojamuhammet Muhammedov, minister for foreign economic relations Nokerguly Ataguliyev, chairman of central bank Geldymurat Abilov and mayor of Ashgabat Deryageldy Orazov.

This team wields the full strength of the executive side of the government of Turkmenistan.

After photo-op the presidents went into tête-à-tête that was scheduled for half an hour but stretched to more than an hour. Later, the talks continued in the expanded format.

Both sides described each other as kind friend and reliable partner. There was mutual desire to expand relations in trade-economic sphere, hydrocarbon sector, agriculture, transport, communications, public healthcare, education and culture.

President Berdymuhamedov said that investment opportunities were available in the hydrocarbon sector, petrochemical industry, free tourist zone Avaza, and north-south trade and transportation corridor. He also said that wide scope of investment was available in the reforms and transformation programme of Turkmenistan, a description that pretty much covers everything that is happening in the country.

The Turkmen leader said that mutual cooperation for strengthening peace, security and stability in the region and the world at large was also a priority area in bilateral relations.

After the talks, President Berdymuhamedov conferred the “Order of the Founding President of Turkmenistan Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashy” on President Sheikh Al-Nahyan. This is the highest award Turkmenistan can bestow on a foreign head of state or government. Sheikh Al-Nahyan is the first recipient of the newly constituted order.

Sheikh Al-Nahyan emphasized that he considers Turkmenistan a suitable country for investment. He said that in order to accelerate the mutually beneficial interaction he would personally supervise the work of the joint Turkmenistan-UAE intergovernmental commission.

The visit coincides with the opening of the new building of the UAE embassy in Ashgabat. Both the presidents drove to the site to perform the opening ceremony.

In a rare exception to the standard procedure of protocol, President Berdymuhamedov went to the airport to receive Sheikh Khalifa. Usually the president received the guest at the entrance steps of the presidential palace.

Besides the mutual feeling of brotherly relations, this was an acknowledgement of the fact that Sheikh Khalifa was at the airport when Berdymuhamedov visited UAE last year.

Turkmenistan conferred its highest order on Shaikh Khalifa, a reciprocal gesture to the highest award of UAE that was bestowed on Berdymuhamedov during his visit.

The small things like the welcome banners in the Arabic language on the airport road and the Arabic inscriptions on the accreditation badges for the media and the delegations showed that Turkmenistan had gone to great lengths to make the visitors feel at home.

These are signs of mutual compatibility.

Turkmenistan and UAE, by choice and default, are perfect partners.

Both are rich in hydrocarbon resources and have very small populations. Both are strategically located to complement each other for mutual benefit.

UAE has lots of spare cash and after being snubbed by some sides, it is more than willing to invest in any number of projects in Turkmenistan.

The Khalifa visit will trigger the new dynamics in bilateral relations.

 

Turkmenistan-UAE Relations at a Glance

President of UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed An-Nahyan, is visiting Turkmenistan 27-28 February 2008.

President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov visited UAE in August 2008.

The bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and UAE are based on 16 interstate, intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents.

Both countries maintain embassies in each other’s capitals. There are several flights a week between Turkmenistan and UAE.

The trade turnover between the two countries was US $ 454.5 million in 2007, showing a gain of 1.7 times over the figures of 2006. In terms of trade turnover volume, UAE occupies seventh place in trade partners of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan exports textiles, light engineering, chemicals, agricultural and petroleum products to UAE.

Turkmenistan imports electronic appliances and equipment, transport vehicles, metal and metal products, building material and other items from UAE.

Companies from UAE have done several projects in Turkmenistan in oil and gas sector, energy, water economy, public healthcare, transportation, communication and other areas.

The projects done by UAE during the last decade include orphanage named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, business centre and mosque.

Construction of the centre for treatment of internal diseases, reconstruction of Archman sanatorium and addition of international standard landing strip at Mary airport were done with direct support from UAE development fund.

As of 1 January 2008, 42 companies were registered in Turkmenistan with involvement of capital from UAE, of which 15 are recognized as legal persons.

54 contracts and projects with participation of UAE companies are registered in Turkmenistan.