ASHGABAT, 10 December (BelTA) – Belarus are Turkmenistan are determined to boost bilateral trade, presidents of the two countries Alexander Lukashenko and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at the one-on-one meeting in Ashgabat on 10 December, BelTA has learned.
The Belarusian head of state said that there has been a certain decline in bilateral trade. The President of Belarus stressed that it is needed to raise the trade turnover because it is a good foundation of bilateral relations. “We are determined to restore these trade and economic relations,” Alexander Lukashenko said. He noted that Belarus and Turkmenistan have agreements in machine building and suggested working together on the markets of neighboring countries. “We have done a lot to develop the real production sector in Turkmenistan similar to the Belarusian one,” the Belarusian leader remarked. He added that Belarus is ready to cooperate with Turkmenistan in a wide range of fields ranging from the military-industrial complex to the personnel training.
Ashgabat is now hosting the Belarus-Turkmenistan fair. According to the Belarusian leader, it is a good opportunity to demonstrate the products of the two countries to the people of Turkmenistan and the guests of the forum.
Alexander Lukashenko noted with satisfaction that his visit to Turkmenistan takes place in the run-up to the big event called Neutrality Day which has had a strong impact on the country's policy. He noted that the international conference which will be held in Ashgabat on the occasion of the holiday on 12 December will focus on the international cooperation in the name of peace, security, and development. “There is no stability without peace and security. This is a topical issue today. There are many fires of conflicts, clashes and even wars around us. As I said in my speech at the UN, God forbid if we live till the day when all that turns into a large-scale war. This is a very important context of the talk,” the Belarusian head of state believes.
The President of Turkmenistan called the visit of his Belarusian counterpart a landmark and historical event because it takes place when the country is celebrating an important holiday. He noted that Belarus and Turkmenistan have similar stances in the international arena. Speaking about the economic dimension of bilateral relations, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov praised the development of the Belarusian manufacturing sector and noted that Belarusian products are in demand in Turkmenistan, that Belarus has a reputation of a country with advanced technologies in the world.
The Turkmenistan leader said that the humanitarian cooperation is also important for the development of relations between the two nations. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov thanked Alexander Lukashenko for the training programs for Turkmenistan citizens at Belarusian universities. “There are over 9,000 students from Turkmenistan in Belarus. Belarus is a talent foundry,” he said.
The President of Turkmenistan reminded that the sides are implementing a high-profile project to build the Garlyk mining and processing factory. He stressed that the products of this facility are in demand in the region and all over the world. He expressed hope that the factory will be commissioned on time. In this context, Alexander Lukashenko said that the most difficult period is already behind. The Turkmenistan leader also thanked the Belarusian side for the implementation of this project in Turkmenistan.
