During the upcoming official visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the Russian Federation on June 10, documents on trade and economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Russia will be signed.  This was reported on the website of the Russian Government following a meeting last Thursday between Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and Vice-Chairman Shakhym Abdrakhmanov.

 “The parties discussed in detail the forthcoming official visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Russia, including a number of documents prepared for signing regarding the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries,” the message says.

 The decision of the elected President of Turkmenistan to make his first official foreign visit to Russia confirms the course of official Ashgabat to further strengthen relations with Moscow, Alexander Novak noted during the meeting.

 “Our relations are of a strategic nature, the partnership is developing on the basis of friendship and mutual respect.  The basis of relations is the agreement signed in 2017 between Russia and Turkmenistan on strategic partnership.  Our Presidents are in constant contact, and the development of bilateral cooperation maintains a positive trend,” Novak mentioned.

 According to him, Russia and Turkmenistan have significant opportunities to increase cargo flows along the eastern route of the North-South international transport corridor.  Already, Russian companies are actively working with their Turkmen colleagues on the issues of their participation in the projects of electrification of the railway lines of Turkmenistan, modernization of its railway infrastructure.  By joint efforts, we will solve the issue of attracting transit cargo, in general we will realize the transit potential of Turkmenistan, Alexander Novak expressed.

 The Deputy Prime Minister of Russia also noted the significant role of the fuel and energy complex in the economic cooperation between the two countries.

 He emphasized that Turkmenistan has significant reserves of natural gas, Gazprom and Turkmengaz are successfully cooperating along this line, an agreement for the purchase and sale of Turkmen gas has been concluded since July 1, 2019.  In addition, Russia provides services for the transportation of Turkmen oil, cooperation in the oil sector is ongoing, and work continues on the reconstruction of Turkmen energy facilities.

 During the meeting, Novak extended invitations to the Turkmen delegation to attend the 25th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and also invited them to participate in the second Caspian Economic Forum and the Russian Energy Forum, scheduled for this autumn.