OREANDA-NEWS. On April 04-05, 2007 Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, paid a working visit to Turkmenistan, reported the press-centre of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Lavrov was received by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov of Turkmenistan and also had talks with Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan and Minister of Foreign Affairs.


These talks centered chiefly on questions pertaining to Russian-Turkmen relations. The state of, and prospects for cooperation in the economic and investment fields were discussed, underscoring the importance of taking extra measures to make bilateral economic ties more stable and sustainable, and the urgency of further strengthening interregional ties and carrying out existing bilateral agreements was noted. An exchange of views took place on collaboration in the humanitarian and cultural fields and on implementing the previously reached agreements on these matters.

The sides from common or close vantage points discussed key international problems, the situation in the Central Asian Region, in Afghanistan and around Iran’s nuclear program and also matters relating to settlement of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, the preparation of a draft Convention to this effect, and prospects of convening a second Caspian Summit. Lavrov and Meredov signed a plan of cooperation between the foreign affairs agencies of the two countries. The Russian Minister visited the joint Russian-Turkmen secondary general educational school named after Pushkin, where he had a talk with teachers and students, after which he met with administrators and the creative team of the Pushkin State Russian Drama Theater. A separate meeting with a group of compatriots took place.