BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 16
By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:
Turkmenistan and the US discussed the main vectors of cooperation, in particular, security issues, trade and economic ties, and the humanitarian spectrum, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The parties focused on security issues, as well as reviewed the results of cooperation and outlined its priority areas. Cooperation in the field of border protection and combating drug trafficking was considered.
Turkmenistan is an active participant in almost all international legal acts in the field of countering drugs, as well as the first country to ratify the agreement on the establishment of the central Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center. Turkmenistan is also a member of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs for 2020-2023, says the report.
Regional and international security issues were also discussed. Special emphasis is placed on peace-building in Afghanistan. The effectiveness of interaction formats such as "Central Asia + USA" and "Turkmenistan-USA-Afghanistan" was highlighted.
The sides expressed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in ensuring security, including through cooperation between the relevant structures of the two countries. Three-day political consultations between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and the US started in the format of a videoconference on December 15, 2020.
Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov earlier instructed to increase and diversify mutual trade turnover, as well as implement major joint projects with the US. The above-mentioned goals will be achieved by giving a new impetus to the activities of the US-Turkmenistan Business Council.
Over 12 years of work, the above-mentioned council has become a mechanism for bilateral partnership, as well as an effective tool for establishing, developing, and strengthening relations between business structures of Turkmenistan and the US.
The US is one of the important trade, economic, and foreign policy partners of Turkmenistan, with which cooperation is carried out in the field of regional security, combating serious threats and challenges, as well as in other areas.
In recent years, the US has taken a course towards rapprochement with Turkmenistan. Political consultations have become regular. Cooperation continues in such areas as the supply of agricultural machinery, modernization of the technical fleet of civil aviation in Turkmenistan, and import of electric power equipment.
In addition, the US administration supports regional gas pipeline projects of Turkmenistan, such as Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI) and Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
Diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the US were established on February 19, 1992.
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