OREANDA-NEWS. March 02, 2012. The Turkmen-Turkish top level talks were held at the Cankaya Palace in Ankara during the official visit of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Republic of Turkey. As was reported the Turkmen leader arrived in Ankara in the afternoon on February 28.

In the morning Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov laid flowers to the mausoleum of the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Then President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul held the one-to-one talks in the Cankaya Palace. During the meeting the leaders of the two states considered the progress in implementing bilateral agreements, exchanged views on the wide spectrum of aspects of Turkmen-Turkish cooperation and reaffirmed that the sides stood ready to enhance fruitful cooperation based on equality and mutual benefit. The sides exchanged views on the issues of regional and international politics.

After concluding the top level talks, the ceremony of presenting the high government award of the Republic of Turkey Dцwlet nyєany to the leader of the Turkmen state took place in the Reception Hall of the Cankaya Palace in presence of the official delegations of the two countries. In a solemn atmosphere President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul presented the high government award of hid country and the diploma to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The Turkmen-Turkish top level talks were held with the participation of the official delegations in the Big Assembly Hall of the Cankaya Palace.

Highly evaluating the outcomes of the meeting with the President of Turkmenistan, Abdullah Gul stated that spiritual and cultural affinities binding the Turkmen and Turkish peoples laid the firm foundation of the interstate dialogue in the new historical epoch. It is symbolic that the Turkmen leader’s coincided with the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states. In this context President Abdullah Gul underlined Turkey’s willingness to enhance further fruitful cooperation with Turkmenistan.

Emphasizing that the Republic of Turkey supports the policy of peacefulness, good neighbourliness and wide international cooperation pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Turkish leader reaffirmed that his country was committed to promoting effective cooperation with neutral Turkmenistan to ensure global peace, security and sustainable development. In this context emphasis was placed on the positive experience of Turkmen-Turkish partnership in the bi- and multi-lateral formats, within the United Nations and other authoritative international organisations.

Underlining dynamic development of interstate trade and economic relations, President Abdullah Gul provided an example of the steady growth of bilateral trade and emphasized that Turkey was keenly interested in expanding cooperation. In this context emphasis was placed on the role of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Turkish Commission as an effective mechanism for implementing the tremendous potential for partnership.

The President of the Republic of Turkey also focused on the significance of traditional humanitarian cooperation including in the spheres of culture and arts that would promote the mutual understanding between the two nations and popularizing their rich cultural heritage. Emphasizing that significant experience of cooperation had been accumulated in the spheres of education and science, the Turkish leader called for closer contacts in the tourism and sport sectors.

Thanking the leader of Turkmenistan for accepting the invitation to pay an official visit to the Republic of Turkey and focusing on high effectiveness of these talks, President Abdullah Gul expressed belief that the agreements reached by the sides in Ankara would be fulfilled.

The floor was given to the President of Turkmenistan. Thanking once again his Turkish counterpart for extending the warm welcome, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed sincere gratitude to President Abdullah Gul for the hearty congratulations on his election as the President of Turkmenistan for a second term and assumption of office.

Noting that this visit to Turkey coincided with the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Turkey, the leader of the Turkmen state heartily congratulated those present on this remarkable date in the new history of the interstate dialogue. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said the Republic of Turkey was the first foreign state to recognize independence of Turkmenistan and open its Embassy in Ashgabat. Turkmen-Turkish relations developing on a long-term strategic basis will have a great future.

Touching upon the one-to-one Turkmen-Turkish talks, the President of Turkmenistan said they had focused on the current state and prospects of Turkmen-Turkish relations and the ways to develop mutually advantageous and effective areas of cooperation. In this context Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stated that the bilateral documents to be signed in Ankara would play an important role in building up partnership.

The Republic of Turkey ranks among the largest trade and economic partners of Turkmenistan. Over 600 Turkish companies are currently working in Turkmenistan, noted Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasizing that economic cooperation should absorb innovations and latest technologies and rely on scientific and technological advances. The leading sectors such as the power, petrochemical, processing and machine-building industries and manufacturing of ecologically pure food products have promising prospects.

Noting that the promising areas of cooperation included the tourism sector, the President of Turkmenistan said well-known Turkish companies actively collaborated to develop the Avaza national tourism zone on the Caspian seashore of Turkmenistan. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov put forward the proposal that he had put forth during the previous meeting with President Abdullah Gul to hold the Turkmen-Turkish symposium in Avaza to share international experience in the high tech sector.

An exchange of views during the Turkmen-Turkish Business Forum will focus on business partnership, said the President of Turkmenistan noting that a significant role in promoting bilateral cooperation was assigned to the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Turkish Commission for economic cooperation.

The dialogue in the humanitarian sphere based on historically established cultural and spiritual affinities between the two nations stands as an essential component of bilateral relations. Turkmenistan and Turkey have accumulated the rich experience of cooperation in the spheres of science and education. The President of Turkmenistan put forward the initiative to establish the bilateral commission for research and innovations responsible for training specialists and using the research potential of leading research centres and educational institutions of Turkey and the International Turkmen-Turkish University.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov put forward the proposal to proclaim the year 2012 the Year of Science, Education and High Technologies in Turkmen-Turkish Relations. The President of Turkmenistan stated that in the framework of this cooperation it would be appropriate to exchange ideas and experiences, study the proposals based on advanced technologies and innovations, facilitate applying them in industry, hold joint scientific conferences and contests and organize other mutually beneficial activities.

The leader of Turkmenistan invited the President of the Republic of Turkey to pay a visit to Turkmenistan at any convenient time. This invitation was accepted with gratitude. The dates of the visit will be adjusted through diplomatic channels.

After the talks were concluded, the ceremony of signing the bilateral documents took place in the conference hall of the Cankaya Palace.

The Agreement on Cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of the Republic of Turkey; the Protocol on Cooperation in archival activities between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey; the Agreement on Technical Cooperation in Water Industry between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey; the Agreement on Cooperation to combat serious crimes, including terrorism and organized crime between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Turkey; the Agreement on Legal Cooperation on civil and criminal cases between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Turkey; the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Diplomacy Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey; the Protocol on the project “Management of advanced training programmes to develop tourism in Turkmenistan” between the State Committee for Tourism and Sport of Turkmenistan and the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) under the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President Abdullah Gul affixed their signatures to the Joint Declaration of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Turkey on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations to the applause of those present.

After the ceremony was concluded, the leaders of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Turkey held a press conference.

Highly evaluating the outcomes of the talks, President Abdullah Gul emphasized that for 20 years Turkmenistan had made significant progress and enhanced its international prestige. Turkmenistan and Turkey are the two states and the one nation, said the Turkish leader. The President of the Republic of Turkey expressed gratitude to the Turkmen side for giving credence to Turkish businessmen who actively collaborated on implementing joint projects.

Focusing on the coincidence and similarity of views on the approaches to addressing regional and international issues, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that this factor stood as the firm foundation for effective collaboration between Turkmenistan and Turkey within the international organizations, particularly the United Nations to concert efforts to ensure peace and security and respond to threats and challenges of the modern world.

Strengthening and promoting mutually advantageous cooperation with the Republic of Turkey was a long-term strategic objective for Turkmenistan, said President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Addressing the press conference, the Turkmen leader said the sides had agreed to conduct political consultations on a regular basis and promote an exchange of views on critical issues.

From the Cankaya Palace the President of Turkmenistan headed to the Reception Building of the Prime Minister of Turkey. Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayip Erdogan cordially greeted the Turkmen leader there.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey gave a dinner in honour of the President of Turkmenistan. An exchange of views on critical aspects of bilateral cooperation in the context of the Turkmen-Turkish top level talks and the prospects for enhancing mutually advantageous partnership took place during the dinner. The head of the Turkish Government cordially congratulated the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on receiving the high government award of Turkey Dцwlet nyєany and emphasized the Turkmen leader’s profound contribution to promoting bilateral relations.

In the afternoon President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul visited the venue for opening the Turkmenistan Park laid out in Dikmen Wadisi, one of the most beautiful park sin Ankara. The leaders of the two states attended the ceremonies of opening the Turkmenistan Park and inaugurating the monument to the great Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly Fraghi in its territory.

The President of Turkmenistan visited the Parliament of Turkey. The members of the government delegation of Turkmenistan and deputies of the Turkish Parliament had a meeting in the assembly hall.

In his speech during the meeting with the members of the TBMM General Council, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the Republic of Turkey ranked among the major foreign economic partners of Turkmenistan. Turkmen-Turkish economic relations currently dynamically develop and are filled with a concrete content, said President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov providing an example of the steady growth of bilateral trade. The Turkmen leader expressed belief that bilateral trade would be built up further.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said over 600 Turkish companies were currently operating in Turkmenistan in the industrial, transport, construction, trade and services sectors and the textile and processing industries and contributed to implementing the national social and economic development programmes.

The Turkmen leader said inter-parliamentary cooperation played a critical role in promoting mutually beneficial relations. In this context President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov focused on the fruitfulness of an exchange of experiences in the legislative sector noting that the Parliament of Turkey successfully fulfilled the tasks of promoting development of the Turkish state and ensuring the rule of law.

In the evening an official dinner was given at the Cankaya Palace in honour of the distinguished Turkmen guest on behalf of President of the Republic of Turkey Abdullah Gul. The leaders of the two states exchanged the speeches during the dinner.