OREANDA-NEWS. July 30, 2009. The EU-3 delegation representing the countries that held, is holding and will hold presidency of the European Union arrived in Ashgabat on a working visit.

During the visit the honorary guest will be received at the Mejlis and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, hold a series of the talks and meetings at the national departments including the Ministry of Finance, the State Agency for Hydrocarbon Resources Management and Use under President of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under President of Turkmenistan, the State Service on Drug of Turkmenistan.

Enhancement cooperation with the European countries is a strategic vector of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy that prioritizes wide international cooperation in common interests. As is known, a new stage in development of the dialogue with the EU was launched by the visit of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Brussels in November 2007 when the Turkmen leader held a series of the important talks with the high-ranking officials of the European Union. During the following years each of the partners made the serious steps to intensify cooperation in compliance with mutual interests and potential. In particular, the partners intensified exchange of government delegations, established business, scientific and cultural contacts, successfully implement the joint projects in the framework of the programmes such as Tempus, TACIS and Erasmus Mundus

It is remarkable that cooperation wit the European community is more actively developed in the regional format that is proved by the meeting of the EU-3 and Central Asia at the level of foreign ministers conducted on the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat last spring. This meting highlighted the sides’ active views on building a platform of mutually advantageous cooperation meting the modern realities and spirit of equal partnership. Particular attention is paid to the activities of the joint committee Turkmenistan-European Union. Recently the committee held the 10th meeting in Brussels.

This meeting in Ashgabat aimed at designing the common approaches of the EU member countries and Turkmenistan to building the optimal model of mutually advantageous cooperation illustrates the intention of both sides to consistently and steadily expand the constructive dialogue that is successfully developed in the framework of the EU strategy for Central Asia as well. The agenda of the coming talks focuses on the aspects of current partnership in the energy sector, the spheres of education, trade, economy and others. The results of the visit are expected to specify the partners’ positions and identify the trends in cooperation in compliance with the modern realities and eventually to strengthen and fill it with a new concrete content.