Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, July 25
By Huseyn Hasanov - Trend:
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has confirmed his country's readiness to develop strategic partnership with Turkmenistan during a telephone conversation with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Turkmen government said in a statement July 24.
"The Republic of Uzbekistan sincerely values friendly and trusting relations with fraternal Turkmenistan, which in recent years, based on mutual desire of the parties to develop strategic partnership, have found new stimulus," said the message.
The sides specified the key areas of Turkmen-Uzbek cooperation, built on the principles of equality, respect for each other's interests and mutual support.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted the broad prospects for further strengthening of productive cooperation.
As noted, the cooperation in trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres has reached a qualitatively new level thanks to regular productive meetings and negotiations at the top of the bilateral political dialogue.
The parties also exchanged views on a number of topical issues of regional and global agenda of mutual interest.
At the same time, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their commitment to constructive cooperation in the international arena in order to ensure universal peace, security and progress.
Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, which have impressive reserves of hydrocarbon resources, are in favor of diversification of energy flows. A good example of such favor is the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan–China gas pipeline project, which was put into operation in 2009.
Recently Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov invited business circles of Uzbekistan to participate in the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. Construction of the Turkmen section of that pipeline was started in December 2015.
Uzbekistan was also invited to start developing oil and gas fields on the Turkmen shelf of the Caspian Sea. Ashgabat is ready to intensify cooperation in the framework of the project on the supply of electricity from Central to South Asia through the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route.
At this stage, the two countries are also discussing a project to establish the Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Iran-Oman transport route. This will significantly increase international transit traffic and provide a new communication corridor to world markets.