The Turkmen delegation headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov participated to the High Level International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Interconnectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”.
The Conference was attended by more than 250 participants from 40 countries of the world, among whom the heads of states and governments, leadership of the external policy agencies, chiefs of respected international and regional organizations, financial structures. To cover the Conference, tens of journalists and representatives of mass media have arrived to Tashkent.
At the opening of the Conference, the participants listened to the opening remarks of the Presidents of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, Prime minister of Pakistan, UN Secretary-General, as well as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission.
Then the plenary session on the topic of “Central and South Asia: Regional Interconnectivity” has started. During the session, the speakers shared their views on the current state and prospects of development of interregional cooperation in Central and South Asia, called for the expansion of collaboration and appraised the promising infrastructural projects for the promotion of interconnectivity.
Speaking at the plenary session, the head of the MFA of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov noted the importance and relevance of the given Conference in the light of the present circumstances and tendencies. Underlining the significance of strengthening multifaceted political, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian collaboration between the Central and South Asia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan reflected the key vectors of the external policy agenda of Turkmenistan implemented under the leadership of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
In his speech, Rashid Meredov paid special attention to the development of trade-economic and investment partnership between the regions and noted the active position of Turkmenistan in the process of establishment of effective transport and energy projects, and proposed to involve the regional unions in this respect. He also underlined the importance of Afghanistan’s participation in the given projects.
It was stated that special attention is paid in Turkmenistan to the intensification of transport-transit communication along the East-West and South-North routes, with the access to the countries of the Asian-Pacific region, Middle East and Europe with the use of the potential of the Caspian Sea.
In this respect, the Turkmen side proposed to consider the opportunities of creating a Business Council of Central Asia – South Asia with the aim of developing and expanding the trade-economic ties between the countries within the interregional cooperation.
Also, the commitment of the Turkmen side to the development of humanitarian cooperation, including the intensification of the partnership on medicine and healthcare was voiced. In this regard, the call of the Turkmen side to establish close international cooperation in the area of scientific-medical diplomacy was reiterated.
In the end of the Conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov once again thanked all the participants for active participation in the High Level International Conference initiated by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Upon the outcomes of the High Level International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Interconnectivity. Challenges and Opportunities”, the participants adopted the Final Document.