A meeting between the Ambassador of Turkmenistan, Sapar Palvanov & the Secretary-General of the Benelux Union, Ms Ariadne Petridis, was held at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Benelux Union in Brussels.
During the meeting, the sides discussed promising areas of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Benelux countries, as well as opportunities for further strengthening interregional cooperation between Central Asia and Europe.
Particular attention was paid to the dynamic development of relations between Turkmenistan and the European Union. The Ambassador noted that the expansion of cooperation, the growing number of dialogue formats, political consultations, expert-level meetings and other joint engagements have naturally led to a significant increase in reciprocal visits and official contacts.
Against this background, the Ambassador stressed that it would be timely and appropriate to explore the possibility of joint work with the Benelux countries towards mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and service passports. Such a step could serve as a practical mechanism supporting the growing intensity of official exchanges, while further facilitating political dialogue, high-level visits and institutional cooperation.
The Secretary-General outlined the existing Benelux practice and relevant procedures in this area and expressed readiness to facilitate further dialogue within the competence of the General Secretariat.
A separate part of the discussion focused on the potential for sharing the Benelux Union’s experience with the countries of Central Asia in the fields of regional cooperation and institutional interaction. The Turkmen side highlighted the relevance of the Benelux Union’s longstanding experience in coordinating cooperation among states, operating permanent regional mechanisms and developing common approaches across various areas.
The Secretary-General welcomed the initiative and expressed readiness to share the Benelux Union’s experience. It was noted that cooperation among Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg today covers a broad range of areas, including security and resilience, energy, climate and sustainable development, the internal market and economic cooperation.
During the meeting, the Ambassador also briefed the Secretary-General on preparations for a major international equestrian event to be held from 4 to 6 September 2026 at the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Kronenberg, the Netherlands, with the participation of representatives of Turkmenistan and international guests.
Sapar Palvanov invited representatives of the General Secretariat of the Benelux Union to attend the upcoming event.