Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Feb. 26 / Trend H.Hasanov /
Ashgabat hosted the Turkmen and French Foreign Ministries' political consultations, the Neytralniy Turkmenistan newspaper reported.
At the talks, Paris was represented by French Foreign and European Affairs Ministry's Continental Europe Department Head Philippe Leform.
The talks focused on the issues to intensify cooperation in the bilateral and EU-Turkmenistan dialogue formats, and in the framework of other international institutions and organizations, including the OSCE and UN.
The sides exchanged views on the prospects of interstate cooperation, stressed a "significant potential of the trade and economic partnership, particularly in the energy sector, construction, transport and communication and textile industry".
The sides stood for the intensification of cultural, scientific and educational contacts, including through UNESCO, whose headquarters is in Paris.
President Gurbangulu Berdimuhammedov's official visit to France in February 2010 gave dynamics to the bilateral relations. French President Nicolas Sarkozy will pay a return visit, the date of which is specified through diplomatic channels.
"The current consultative meeting, held within the framework of the agreements reached at the highest level and the agreements signed between the foreign ministries of both countries - is another major step in building a productive international dialogue on mutual trust and understanding," the report reads. .
The French companies are well represented in areas such as construction, transport and tourism in Turkmenistan.