Changing world realities demand from the CIS a timely and adequate response, embedding in new coordinates of interaction. It was stated by the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in an interview to  the International Television and Radio Company «Mir», answering a question about the prospects for Turkmenistan's cooperation within the Commonwealth.

“I am convinced that it is economic, trade, investment cooperation that should become the locomotive of the efficiency and success of the CIS, provide our countries with the opportunity to fully reveal their potential, fully integrate into world economic relations,” the President of Turkmenistan emphasized.

 He also recalled that “during its chairmanship in the CIS in 2019, Turkmenistan came up with a number of specific initiatives. In particular, we proposed to develop a Declaration on Strategic Economic Cooperation of the CIS Member States, which was adopted at a meeting of the Council of Heads of State in Ashgabat in October 2019.  The principles of this document formed the basis of the CIS Economic Development Strategy until 2030”.

 “We believe that the decisive factor in successful economic cooperation is the active participation of the Commonwealth countries in creating a stable system of economic interconnection of the CIS states and neighboring regions of the world,” the head of Turkmenistan noted.

 “On a bigger scale, we are talking here about the creation of new “economic corridors”, including energy infrastructure, industrial zones, transport and transit routes connecting our countries along the North-South and East-West lines,” the Turkmen leader said.

 “We regard the expansion of cooperation of the CIS with the Eurasian Economic Union and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as highly demanded and promising,” the President noted.

 According to the leader of Turkmenistan, there are good prospects for interaction between the CIS countries in solving such urgent tasks as ensuring global and regional security, combating international terrorism, drug trafficking and organized crime, including cybercrime, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

 Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also noted that “the cultural and humanitarian sphere remains a strong and reliable connecting link for the states and peoples of the CIS”.

 The President highlighted the topic of combating COVID-19 and interaction with the World Health Organization as a priority area of ​​cooperation within the CIS.

 Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that it was also important to develop bilateral ties between the members of the Commonwealth.  “Yes, the CIS is, first of all, an interstate association. But I am also convinced that the development of bilateral ties between the members of the Commonwealth only enriches multilateral interaction, gives it additional specificity and dynamics,” the President said.

 Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov recalled that “Turkmenistan takes part in the CIS as an associate member, builds its relations with the CIS countries on the basis of deep historical ties, mutually beneficial partnership, similarity of approaches on a number of issues of international politics and maintains active cooperation in the spirit of sincere friendship and trust”. “We highly appreciate the fact that the fundamental principles of the Commonwealth remain unchanged.  These are voluntary involvement, respect, equality,” the leader of Turkmenistan noted.