OREANDA-NEWS. June 27, 2011. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Mr. James Appathurai, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.

 Expressing gratitude for the opportunity of a personal meeting, the guest conveyed the warm greetings of NATO Secretary General Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who had evaluated highly the constructive dialogue between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Turkmenistan, to the leader of the Turkmen state. In this context it was noted that NATO attached paramount significance to cooperation with neutral Turkmenistan, which played a critical role in the Central Asian regions as universally recognized peace-making centre.

Emphasizing that the key priorities of the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan based on the status of permanent neutrality and peaceafulness included promotion of positive cooperation with major international organizations and structures, including with the NATO, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed that our country was committed to fostering partnerships for global peace, security and stability. In this regard the Turkmen leader focused with satisfaction on the fruitful character of collaboration with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization based originally on mutual respect, equality and goodwill of the parties.

The Turkmen leader and his guest put emphasis on the mutual willingness of Turkmenistan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to further cooperation developed successfully in the framework of the NATO Partnership for Peace Programme. An exchange of views on the prospects of bilateral collaboration in priority fields, including elimination of consequences of natural disaster, struggle agianst illicit drug trafficking, international terrorism and organized crime took place during the meeting. In this context emphasis was put on the importance of strengthening contacts in the humanitarian sector, in particular in the spheres of science and education, promotion of which was a key aspect of the policy of the Turkmen state.

Dwelling upon the active position Turkmenistan took in an international dialogue aimed at searching for solutions to urgent problems the humankind faced today, Mr. James Appathurai noted that the NATO highly appreciated effective assistance and support provided by the Turkmen state in reviving social and economic infrastructure in neighboring Afghanistan. An illustrative example was a number of the constructive initiatives of the Turkmen side, including the project of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, which would contribute profoundly to sustainable development of the Asian region and promote mutually advantageous cooperation.

Upon concluding the meeting, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his guest expressed belief that constructive contacts between Turkmenistan and the NATO would be developed further successfully and serve the interests of global peace and wellbeing.

UK Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkmenistan Mr. Keith Rennie Allan attended the meeting.