Azerbaijan, Baku, April 27 /Trend /
There is a considerable potential for developing Belarus-Turkmenistan economic cooperation, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at the meeting with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on Friday, BelTA reported.
Alexander Lukashenko pointed out that Belarus-Turkmenistan trade went up 400 percent for the last four years to exceed $200 million in 2011.
"We should continue working together to preserve and advance the level of economic relations," Belarusian leader said. The Belarusian President believes that the project to build the Garlyk mining and processing factory will be the key one in the bilateral relations. He added that the two countries pay close attention to the project, including the presidents. "The project has been given a green light, with all emerging issues dealt with swiftly. I am confident that in 2014 - early 2015 we will be able to open the first installation of the Turkmen potash industry but it will not be the last one," Alexander Lukashenko said.
Deliveries of Belarusian machines, which have earned a good reputation in Turkmenistan's complicated weather conditions, are another sphere of cooperation. Alexander Lukashenko thanked Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for his close attention to the development of these projects.
"The trust level of our relations allows effectively implementing our arrangements and vigorously shaping new avenues of cooperation," the Belarusian president said.
Alexander Lukashenko underlined that Belarus is ready to take an active part in joint projects, including those to create Turkmenistan's powerful modern manufacturing potential.
"The joint efforts which we have recently exercised have enabled us to achieve concrete and tangible results of the bilateral cooperation: the political dialogue has grown stronger along with trade, economic and humanitarian ties," the Belarusian leader said. Alexander Lukashenko remarked that at present, Turkmenistan is a truly strategic partner for Belarus.
Edited by V. Zhavoronkova