OREANDA-NEWS. December 15, 2008. The Turkmen-Russian intergovernmental commission for economic development held a regular meeting in Ashgabat this week.

A representative delegation led by V. Zubkov, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Co-Chairman of the Turkmen-Russian intergovernmental commission had arrived in the Turkmen capital to participate in the meeting. Turkmenistan was represented by Vice Premier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Co-Chairman of the Turkmen-Russian Commission R. Meredov, the high-ranking officials and leading specialists of the national ministries and departments.

The agenda included a broad range of the issues covering the whole spectrum of versatile Turkmen-Russian co-operation.

Cordially greeting the Russian guests Co-Chairman of the Turkmen-Russian Commission R. Meredov stated that the Turkmen-Russian dialogue promoted by the solid legal framework as well as the good personal relations between the leaders of both countries had been noticeably intensified in recent years.

Thanking the hosts for the heartfelt welcome and businesslike, constructive approach to maintenance of intergovernmental co-operation the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation focused on the exceptional importance of regular meetings for working out the joint approaches to building the platform of further effective partnership.

The specific steps to enhance joint efforts aimed at implementing the huge potential of bilateral co-operation were a focus of the talks which evidenced the mutual interest in intensifying close intergovernmental collaboration.

The reports on the work done in the period to move forward the agreements achieved during the visit of RF President Dmitriy Medvedev to Ashgabat this July and the third meeting of the intergovernmental commission. The members of the commission stated with satisfaction that the partners had jointly carried out the large-scale work to inventory the legal documents and agreements on co-operation, the Turkmen-Russian Business Council had been established and Turkmen students had been sent to Russia to study at the institutions of higher education. The partners agreed that the mutual interest in full-scale long-term co-operation was vividly illustrated by the steady growth of bilateral trade turnover, the National Exhibition of Russian in Ashgabat, the opening of the branch of I.M. Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas in the Turkmen capital and the participation of the Russian companies in the large-scale projects implemented in Turkmenistan.

The members of the commission focused on the drafting of the intergovernmental agreements which would be signed during the Turkmen leader’s return visit to Moscow. These included the intergovernmental agreements on mutual recognition of the certificates of education, direct rail-ferry services, etc.

Putting emphasis on the increasing interest in expanding traditional collaboration based on the solid foundation of historical friendship the members of the delegations expressed the willingness of both countries to diversify mutually advantageous trade and economic co-operation and to intensify partnership in such priority fields as the fuel and energy sector, transport, education and science.

In conclusion the members of the Russian delegation thanked the Turkmen partners and expressed belief that the intergovernmental dialogue would be enhanced in the interests of the friendly peoples.