OREANDA-NEWS. November 18, 2011. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Guido Westervelle, Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany, who had arrived in the Turkmen capital, at the Oguzkhan palace complex.

Thanking for the heartfelt welcome extended in the Turkmen land, the guest emphasized that he was very glad to visit Turkmenistan and see the fruits of the Turkmen leader’s ambitious reforms that the international community had been watching closely over the past years. Congratulating President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the recently celebrated 20th anniversary of independence, the German Foreign Minister expressed the wishes of wellbeing and prosperity, new outstanding achievements and every success in all undertakings to the Turkmen people.

Greeting the distinguished guest and thanking for the kind words, the Turkmen leader emphasized that Turkmenistan was committed to promoting the friendly, constructive dialogue with Germany, cooperation with which had been significantly intensified through mutual efforts. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude to the Federal Republic of Germany for putting forward the initiative to elaborate a special strategy which nowadays specified the vectors of long-term collaboration between EU member states and Central Asian countries.

A lively exchange of views on the current state and prospects for enhancing Turkmen-German cooperation built on an equal and mutually beneficial basis took place during the meeting. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his guest were unanimous that the political aspect of interstate relations, mutual confidence and understanding on a number of key issues of international politics, which offered a powerful impetus to step up constructive partnership in the bilateral format and within cooperation of Turkmenistan with EU member countries, provided a platform to intensify it further.

Minister Guido Westervelle emphasized that promotion of political, economic, cultural and humanitarian and scientific contacts with Turkmenistan that moved forward with confidence along the path of progressive reforms and changes was a critical component of the foreign policy strategy of Germany and the European Union as a whole. Underlining a profound contribution of independent neutral Turkmenistan that played a key role in the Central Asian region to strengthening global security and stability, the head of the foreign ministry of the friendly country highly evaluated the Turkmen leader’s international initiatives including to ensure reliable and stable transit of energy.

Expressing support for the position of the Turkmen state that steadily pursued the policy for diversification of energy transit to world markets, the guest said the consistent steps taken for this purpose, including high-level oil and gas forums in Ashgabat – all this evidenced Turkmenistan’s commitment to promoting the policy of openness and active international cooperation in common interests

Underscoring the importance of steadily enhancing cooperation in the strategic energy sector which determined a climate on the international geopolitical arena, the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov put emphasis on Turkmenistan’s keen interest in cooperation with the leading European, including German, companies which had the tremendous research and industrial potential as well as a very responsible approach to partner obligations. In this regard an illustrative example was effective cooperation with the German energy concern RWE in development of offshore deposits in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea.

Touching upon the issues of Turkmen-German cooperation, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the German Foreign Minister reaffirmed that the sides stood ready to promote mutually advantageous cooperation in key fields, strengthen the ties of friendship and brotherhood between the peoples of Turkmenistan and Germany.

Sharing his impressions of Ashgabat, the distinguished guest expressed sincere admiration for the beauty of the city. “Ashgabat is a wonderful, magnificent and very neat city that certainly impresses the Germans. It appears that we share an approach to life,” said Minister Guido Westervelle.

At the conclusion of the meeting the President of Turkmenistan and the German Foreign Minister exchanged the wishes of happiness and success and expressed belief that multifaceted interstate cooperation would be successfully furthered in mutual interests.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Turkmenistan Reiner Morel attended the meeting.