ASTANA — Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov made a joint statement for the media expressing satisfaction with the results of the bilateral talks on Oct. 10 in Ashgabat.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Photo credit: Akorda
Tokayev noted the importance of the agreements reached during his official visit to Turkmenistan and the adopted bilateral documents focusing on Declaration on Strengthening Friendship and Deepening Multifaceted Strategic Partnership between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, which is supposed to bring fraternal people closer and strengthen bilateral relations, reported Akorda press service.
“We also adopted the corresponding Comprehensive Program until 2027. We agreed to fill the coming period with significant events for the benefit of the two close peoples, focusing on trade. Owing to joint efforts, by the end of last year, trade between our countries grew by 28%, exceeding half a billion dollars,” Tokayev said.
The Presidents agreed to consider the possibility of expanding the range of goods supplied and creating favorable conditions for the development of mutual trade. The Kazakh side is ready to increase supply of agricultural products, primarily wheat.
“Turkmen business also has large reserves for increasing exports to Kazakhstan and establishing its long-term presence in our market. We believe that bilateral trade turnover can be increased to $1 billion in the near future,” Tokayev said.
The sides intend to study the prospects for creating joint ventures in key sectors of the economy, prioritizing the energy sector.
“Kazakhstan intends to take an active part in projects to develop gas condensate fields in Turkmenistan, as well as in expanding the pipeline infrastructure. Today, QazaqGaz and the Turkmengas State Concern signed an agreement on the development of cooperation in the gas industry. Kazakhstan’s oil and gas companies are interested in establishing cooperation with their Turkmen colleagues in oilfield services in the Caspian Sea,” he said.
Participants of the briefing and representatives of the media. Photo credit: Akorda
During the briefing, Tokayev emphasized that the volume of rail traffic between two countries increased by 20% and reached nearly 1.5 million tons in 2023.
“A special role here is given to the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, which is an important link in the North-South transport corridor. The tasks of connecting the road infrastructure on the border of the two states in the direction of the Turkmenbashi-Garabogaz-Kazakhstan border are being systematically implemented,” Tokayev said.
The Presidents discussed broad prospects for the construction of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Afghanistan railway route and possibility of an early resumption of regular air traffic between countries.
One of the key topics of the negotiations was strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties. The Presidents confirmed mutual interest in deepening cooperation in education and opening branches of Kazakh universities in Turkmenistan.
Berdimuhamedov spoke at a briefing about current and future areas of cooperation and noted the constructive nature of the Turkmen-Kazakh dialogue.
“During today’s meeting, the state and prospects of bilateral relations, regional and international policy questions of mutual interest were reviewed and discussed. Specific areas of our cooperation were identified. I would like to especially note the constructive and substantive nature of the talks, which took place in the traditional atmosphere of mutual trust and openness for relations between the two countries. A high assessment was given to the current level of bilateral dialogue, which is being conducted in all areas in politics, economics, and the cultural and humanitarian sphere,” said Berdimuhamedov.
