President Gül Underscores Great Momentum Gained in Turkish-Turkmen Relations
03.06.2014
During the joint press conference he held with President Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan at the Çankaya Presidential Palace, President Gül reiterated that thanks to the mutual state level visits paid between the two countries in recent years, the bilateral relations between Turkey and Turkmenistan have reached a very high level, adding: “We have taken our positions in the international arena as two honorable states of one nation. We enjoy an unshakable solidarity indeed.”
President Abdullah Gül and President Gurbangulu Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan held a joint news conference at the Çankaya Presidential Palace.
UNSHAKABLE SOLIDARITY BETWEEN TURKEY AND TURKMENISTAN
Evincing his pleasure to welcome his Turkmen counterpart to Turkey, President Gül informed his audience that 12 visits have been made mutually at the highest level in the last 7 years, recalling that the last time he visited Turkmenistan was on the occasion of the Horse Festival. “Thanks to the mutual state level visits paid between the two countries in recent years, the bilateral relations between Turkey and Turkmenistan have reached a very high level, which demonstrates the strong amity the two countries enjoy. We have taken our positions in the international arena as two honorable states of one nation. We enjoy an unshakable solidarity indeed.”
President Gül noted that during the talks between their delagations, they had reviewed in detail the existing bilateral relations in all areas and said that both administrations have the necessary will to boost the cooperation between the two countries.
“TURKEY IS PROUD OF THE GREAT DEVELOPMENT TURKMENISTAN HAS ACHIEVED”
One of the most important dimensions in these excellent relations between Turkey and Turkmenistan includes the economic ties, maintained the President, reiterating that “Turkey is proud of the great developments Turkmenistan has achieved under the leadership of my good friend President Berdimuhamedov. With the support of our Turkmen brothers, Turkish firms are making great contributions to Turkmenistan by assuming huge projects there. The total value of these projects is worth more than 40 billion dollars. Our volume of trade is over 2.5 billion dollars. As for the value of the direct investments of Turkish companies in Turkmenistan, it is almost 500 million dollars.”
The President then offered his thanks to the Turkmen administration for counting on and supporting Turkish firms in this regard.
TURKISH-TURKMEN COOPERATION IN ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION
President Gül continued as follows: “We have a strategic approach in terms of our cooperation with Turkmenistan in the energy sector and transportation. We believe that the projects that can be carried out in these fields will consolidate the spirit of regional cooperation. We therefore are resolute to carry the Turkmen natural gas to the European markets via Turkey. I’m glad at observing the development of our collaboration with Turkmenistan at both bilateral and multilateral levels. We enjoy a robust cooperation in such international platforms as the UN. While Turkmenistan supports Turkey in its candidacy for the UN Security Council, Turkey stands by Turkmenistan in terms of the meetings that it will hold with the UN.”
The President further pointed to the areas of culture and education where both countries have great cooperation as well.
BERDIMUHAMEDOV: WE WITNESS HISTORIC DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR RELATIONS
As for President Berdimuhamedov, he expressed his thanks to President Gül for his warm welcome and noted that Turkey and Turkmenistan are witnessing historic developments in their bilateral relations. The Turkmen President maintained that “the agreements we have signed will pave the way for our sister countries in terms of their bilateral relations for the future as well.”
AGREEMENTS SIGNED
Prior to the joint press conference, the following agreements were signed between the relevant departments of the two governments:
Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey’s KOSGEB and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan; Cooperation Protocol in Science and Technology; Cooperation Agreement in Forestry and Meteorology; Cooperation Agreement in Tourism; Protocol in Economic Cooperation about the 5th Term Meeting of the Turkish-Turkmen Intergovernmental Committee and Joint Declaration by President Abdullah Gül and President Gurbangulu Berdimuhamedov.
