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Medvedev arrives in Turkmenistan on working visit

Turkmenistan Materials 22 December 2009 10:58 (UTC +04:00)
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in Turkmenistan on a working visit at the invitation of its President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.
Medvedev arrives in Turkmenistan on working visit

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in Turkmenistan on a working visit at the invitation of its President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

"Russia highly appreciates friendly relations with Turkmenistan and attaches great significance to further deepening and development of mutually acceptable cooperation in the political, commercial, economic, educational, cultural and other fields. Much has been done in recent years to develop bilateral ties and they are on the rise now," a Kremlin official told Itar-Tass on Monday.

The visit will be made as part of the regular and intensive top-level Russian-Turkmenistani political dialogue.

"The heads of state will attend the opening ceremony at a new building of the Pushkin School. The opening of the school is yet another symbol of stronger friendship between the two peoples and progressive development of Russian-Turkmenistani relations," the Kremlin official said.

Medvedev and Berdymukhamedov are also expected to discuss prospects for cooperation in the field of education. Good results have been achieved in this field lately. A legal framework has been created for further expansion of contacts in this area.

Russia increases state stipends to Turkmenistani citizens every year. Over 1,300 Turkmenistani citizens study in Russian universities. In the 2009-2010 academic year, the Russian government provided 275 stipends to Turkmenistani students, and another 30 stipends for Turkmenistani citizens wishing to study in Russian universities and 22 stipends for those who want to study in secondary vocational schools.

The two presidents will also discuss ways to expand cultural cooperation between the two countries.

The agenda of the talks will include, among other things, broader trade and economic cooperation.

According to the Kremlin official, "Progress is obvious in the development of multifaceted economic cooperation. Russia is the leading trade partner of Turkmenistan. In 2008, it accounted for 39.2 percent of Turkmenistan's foreign trade (50.5 percent of export and 16 percent of import)."

Russian exports to Turkmenistan are dominated mainly by machinery, equipment, vehicle, chemicals, metals and products made of them, food and agricultural produce. It imports Turkmenistan's chemical industry products, textile and textile and mineral products.

"An important task at this stage us diversify trade turnover and increase supply of high-tech and highly-processed products," the official said.

"A great deal of attention will be given to the fuel and energy sector, which is a priority for both countries," he said.

The heads of state will discuss prospects for advancing cooperation in the fields of agriculture, transport and telecommunication industries, as well as for expanding industrial cooperation and increasing supplies.

Medvedev and Berdymukhamedov will also consider ways to make inter-regional cooperation more effective, using the experience of Tatarstan, St. Petersburg and the Astrakhan region in establishing contacts with Turkmenistani partners.

They will continue exchanging views on how to coordinate bilateral efforts in the international and regional arenas on such pressing issues as the fight against international terrorism, illegal drug trafficking and international organised crime.

"Special attention will be given to the Russian initiative to draft a European security treaty and the situation in Afghanistan, interaction in the CIS and the 'Caspian Five'," the Kremlin official said.

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