Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 20
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov received in Ashgabat Ambassador of Afghanistan Mirwais Nab, who is completing his diplomatic mission in the country, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry Sept. 20.
The parties noted the consistent strengthening of Turkmen-Afghan relations, based on the principles of good neighborliness and mutual respect, the report said.
At the meeting, the sides also exchanged views on pressing issues of cooperation in the political, economic and cultural fields.
The ambassador emphasized the significant contribution of Turkmenistan to the process of peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan and its socio-economic development, the report said.
The government of Afghanistan is actively cooperating with the countries of the region, particularly with Turkmenistan, in such projects as construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan (TAT) railway lines, Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission line, and Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TUTAP) power transmission line. The country also participates in major regional project Lapis Lazuli along the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey-Europe route.
Kabul is convinced that the commissioning of the said regional infrastructure projects will turn Afghanistan into a hub of trade and transit between Central Asia and South Asia, the report said.