Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 3
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
A meeting of the Council of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Heads of Governments will be held in Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat on October 11, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.
This is envisaged in the action plan for implementing the concept of Turkmenistan’s CIS chairmanship in 2019. The upcoming events include Ashgabat’s hosting a forum of creative and scientific intellectuals of the CIS member states May 15-16.
Turkmenistan chairs the CIS this year.
The priority objectives within the concept of Turkmenistan’s CIS chairmanship in 2019 are increasing the level of cooperation of the CIS with international organizations, creating conditions for enhancing trade economic cooperation, and integration into global economic relations. Energy, transport and communications are the key areas of partnership interaction in the CIS.
Referring to its status of permanent neutrality, Turkmenistan decided to participate in the CIS structure as an associate member in 2005. In 1999, Turkmenistan withdrew from the Agreement on visa-free regime with all CIS countries. Turkmenistan ranks second among the CIS countries in terms of natural gas reserves after Russia. The main buyer of Turkmen fuel is China.