OREANDA-NEWS. July 11, 2011. The Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Governor of St. Petersburg Valentina Matviyenko, who had arrived in the Turkmen capital leading the high-level delegation, held a meeting at the Oguzkhan palace complex.

As is known, a priority aspect of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy is the promotion of economic, business and humanitarian contacts with the regions of the Russian Federation, its industrial and cultural centres, including the northern capital, which our country is bound with the long-term ties of friendship and traditional cooperation in various spheres.

The meeting between President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the Governor of St. Petersburg became a continuation of the fruitful dialogue, the mutually beneficial character of which is illustrated by regular bilateral meetings and visits. This is the third visit to our country paid by the delegation of St. Petersburg led by Governor Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko. The President of Turkmenistan visited St. Petersburg during the state visit to the Russian Federation in 2009 when a new format of partnerships and its major vectors was defined.

Today, the positive experience in cooperation with St. Petersburg accumulated in recent years and the tremendous economic, scientific and technological and resource potential create the necessary prerequisites for expansion of effective collaboration. In particular, the fruitful contacts have been established in the power industry where such St. Petersburg companies as Silovye Mashiny and Yarovit Energo promote cooperation with Turkmen partners. The priority fields also include the trade and economic, industrial, construction and other sectors.

The important fields for concerting efforts include road infrastructure development. Thus, the construction of flyovers and bridges has been launched in Ashgabat and the regions of the country, in particular Balkan Velayat, where the Avaza national tourism zone is rapidly expanding, in collaboration with the Russian companies which have advanced technologies and strong production base. The Vozrojdeniye group of companies, one of the largest holdings in the western region of Russia, is effectively operating in this region. It should be noted that the proposals and projects developed by this Russian company especially for Turkmenistan were approved by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov during his visit to St. Petersburg in March 2009.

The air bridge that connects the capital of Turkmenistan and the city on the Neva River and gave an impetus to develop trade, economic and cultural contacts was opened that year.

Particular interest of the business circles of St. Petersburg is illustrated by the membership of the delegation accompanying Valentina Matviyenko to Ashgabat, which consists of top managers of leading enterprises, firms and companies of the northern capital and specialists from various sectors.

A specific field of partnerships is humanitarian cooperation, in particular in the spheres of science and education that is promoted by long-term contacts between the scientific communities of Turkmenistan and St. Petersburg. Turkmen young people study in the city of the Neva River where they receive education in natural and technical sciences and humanities.

The President of Turkmenistan and the Governor of St. Petersburg are expected to discuss a wide range of aspects of cooperation, including he progress in implementing the agreements and bilateral projects and exchange views on the potential and prospects of collaboration during the meeting in Ashgabat.

This landmark event is to mark a new chapter in the history of relations between Turkmenistan and the northern capital of Russia, whose potential and mutual attraction enable to speak about the prospects of long-term and effective cooperation.