On Friday, 20 January 2023, the Prime Minister of Russia Mikhail Mishustin met with President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Earlier, he laid flowers at the memorial complex “Halk Khakydasy” (National Memory)
Meeting with Arkadag Berdimuhamedov
“We see in the Russian Federation not only our strategic partner, but also our closest friends, a friendly country. Recently we celebrated the 30th anniversary of our diplomatic relations,” Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said, welcoming Mishustin.
Speaking about trade and economic cooperation with Russia, the head of the Halk Maslahaty mentioned the intergovernmental commission on economic issues.
“Geoeconomics and geopolitics are changing today, so we need to find the right units of measurement between us – and for this we have solid experience – to find good ways of contact on these issues. Therefore, I would like our intergovernmental commission to work on cooperation issues in this direction,” he stressed.
In turn, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin thanked Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his great attention to the development of Russian-Turkmen relations.
“I would like to say that in the trade and economic sphere, which we are very actively engaged in, we are preparing projects, we have a number of areas that you, dear Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich, have mentioned. Of course, it is impossible not to mention our projects in the field of energy, industry, digital, transport, cultural and humanitarian fields,” he said.
Mishustin also drew attention to the fact that 60 subjects of the Russian Federation have trade, industrial, economic, cultural relations with Turkmenistan.
“And the heads of three regions came here – the President of Tatarstan, who traditionally works and have friendship with his Turkmen colleagues. Astrakhan region takes an active part, St. Petersburg, their representatives are also here,” he said.
During the meeting, issues of humanitarian interaction were also discussed. Arkadag said that this year, at the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan, the parties intend to lay the foundation of the Turkmen-Russian university.
Cooperation in the field of sports is very promising, taking into account that Turkmenistan has a good material and technical base for hosting competitions in various sports up to the level of the World Championships.
“This year was declared the Year of Youth by the esteemed President, and under this auspices we could do a lot in matters of sports development,” Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted.
Meeting with the President of Turkmenistan
After the one-on-one meeting, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and PM Mishustin continued negotiations in an expanded format.
On the Turkmen side, the meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Rashid Meredov (foreign minister), Batyr Atdayev (trade), Nurmukhammet Amannepesov (health, education, science, sports), Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammetkhan Chakiyev.
“Turkmenistan pays great attention to cooperation with the Russian Federation. There is a high level of political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between our countries,” the Turkmen leader said, opening the meeting.
Mishustin said that Russia considers the expansion of mutual trade relations, trade and economic cooperation with Turkmenistan as a key task.
The Russian PM recalled that today the trade turnover between the two countries is estimated at US $ 1 billion, but the potential of bilateral relations is much greater.
“Traditionally, we cooperate in the field of energy, oil and gas industry, together we are engaged in construction, agriculture. There are many developments in the field of digital technologies. Of course, it is necessary to expand the scope of the mutual agenda, which the Government will do on the basis of the Declaration on Deepening Strategic Partnership, which you, dear Serdar Gurbangulyevich, signed with Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin on June 10 in Moscow,” Mishustin said.
Documents Signed
During the Turkmen-Russian negotiations, the following documents were signed:
1) Agreement between the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation and the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of migration
Signed by: Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation Alexander Kravchenko and Chairman of the State Migration Service of Turkmenistan Nazar Atagarayev.
2) Memorandum between the Federal Customs Service (Russia) and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of personnel training
Signed by: Head of the Federal Customs Service Vladimir Bulavin and Chairman of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan Maksat Khudaikulyev.
3) Protocol on cooperation in the Field of combating Customs Offenses for 2023-2025
Signed by: Head of the Federal Customs Service Vladimir Bulavin and Chairman of the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan Maksat Khudaikulyev.
4) Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Agency for Fisheries (Russia) and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan
Signed by: Ilya Shestakov, Head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, and Mukhammetgeldy Serdarov, Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan.
5) Protocol between the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Russia) and the State Plant Quarantine Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan on the transition to the integration of information systems in the field of plant quarantine
Signed by: Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Yulia Shvabauskene and Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan Allanur Altiyev.
6) Action plan (“roadmap”) on issues of Russian-Turkmen cooperation in the field of water use and ecology
Signed by: Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Stepan Kalmykov and Minister of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan Allanur Altyev.
7) Memorandum of Intent on the implementation of an investment project to create a logistics center of Turkmenistan in the port special economic zone of the Astrakhan region
Signed by: General Director of SEZ JSC Lotos Sergey Milushkin and Merdan Byashimov, Acting Director General of the Open Joint Stock Company “Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan”.
8) Cooperation agreement between JSC “Special Economic Zone Lotos” (Astrakhan region, Russian Federation) and the competent authority from Turkmenistan
Signed by: General Director of SEZ JSC Lotos Sergey Milushkin and Merdan Byashimov, Acting Director General of the Open Joint Stock Company “Transport and Logistics Center of Turkmenistan”.
9) Memorandum of Understanding in the field of youth policy between the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Russia) and the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan
Signed by: Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Denis Ashirov and Minister of Education of Turkmenistan Gurbangul Atayeva.
10) Cooperation Agreement between Lomonosov Moscow State University and Makhtumkuli Turkmen State University
Signed by: Rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University Viktor Sadovnichy and Rector of Makhtumkuli Turkmen State University Bayramgul Orazdurdiyeva. ///nCa, 20 January 2023 (photo source – official website of Russian government)