Ashgabat, Minsk sign a package of documents
By Kamila Aliyeva
Belarus is a reliable foothold and friend of Turkmenistan in the center of Europe, President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Minsk on March 30.
“You should know that you have a reliable foothold and good friends in the center of Europe. You can count on Belarus. I am absolutely convinced that the government of this wonderful country led by its president, my old friend, will count on us,” BELTA quoted Lukashenko as saying.
The head of state emphasized that Belarus is ready to share its experience in various fields with Turkmenistan.
“We cooperate in various industries. The trade turnover is always an indicator. In the past years, literally within five years, our trade in goods and services reached $300 million. This is a good indicator. We are making progress in this field. We have managed to solve many issues in trade in this complicated time. I think that moving in this direction we will do a lot in Belarus and Turkmenistan,” the President noted.
Berdimuhamedov, in turn, noted that the cooperation between the two states is increasingly vibrant. “The main thing is that it is enhancing every year. We are convinced that we will reach a high level in our cooperation,” he said.
Later, Lukashenko and Berdimuhamedov adopted a joint statement, in which they stressed the considerable momentum in the interstate dialogue and the positive results of the implementation of the previously signed agreements.
The two leaders reiterated the countries' readiness to step up the bilateral relations in politics, trade, economy, science, technology, culture, humanitarian affairs and other areas.
A package of documents on the development of cooperation in different areas was signed following the high level talks, the Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary reported.
Cooperation agreements were concluded between Belarusian Trade and Economics University of Consumer Cooperatives and Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, Alexander Pushkin Brest State University and Seyitnazar Seydi Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute, Brest State Technical University and Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, Brest State Technical University and Turkmen State Institute of Energy.
Polotsk State University and International Oil and Gas University signed a memorandum of cooperation. Belarusian State Technological University and the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan inked an agreement on cooperation in science and technology, innovations, education and personnel training.
Besides, the sides inked an agreement between the governments of Belarus and Turkmenistan on cooperation in fighting crime and the program for cooperation in tourism between the Sports and Tourism Ministry of Belarus and the State Committee for Tourism of Turkmenistan in 2017-2018.
The parties also signed two protocols. One of them to approve the list of goods exempt from VAT if supplied to trading houses, and the other to adopt an action plan to implement the program of intergovernmental cooperation in culture and art in 2017-2020.
On the same day, a complex of buildings of the Belarusian embassy has been officially opened in Turkmenistan. A symbolic ribbon was cut by the two presidents.
Turkmenistan is interested in the practices and technologies that Belarus has in such sectors as chemical industry, agro-industrial complex, food industry and processing of fruits and vegetables.
Moreover, Turkmenistan repeatedly expressed the willingness to diversify its supplies to the Republic of Belarus and increase the export of textile and light industry.
The supply of Belarusian automobiles and tractors to Turkmenistan is also among long-term directions of cooperation. Only for 2010 – 2016, more than 5,500 units of vehicles of Minsk Automobile Plant to the amount of more than $400 million were delivered to Ashgabat. Approximately the same amount of equipment and spare parts are delivered to Turkmenistan from Minsk Tractor Plant.
The two countries also enjoy opportunities for cooperation in international transport communication.
The positive dynamics of the trade turnover between the two countries can be observed as it increased by 4.4 percent in 2016 when compared to 2015.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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