A representative Iranian delegation headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif has arrived to Ashgabat on a two-day visit.
Today, on 8 April, the head of the external policy agency of Iran was received by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Then the Inter-MFA consultations were held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed gratitude to the Turkmen side in the person of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov for the high organizational level of the visit.
During the talks, the parties discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to Turkmen-Iranian relations on political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres.
The cooperation between the MFAs of two countries was especially discussed. The collaboration in the regional and international structures, including the UN, ECO, OIC and others was considered. The closeness of positions in regard to maintaining regional security and stability was highlighted. An exchange of views on Afghanistan was held.
The importance of the International Year of Peace and Trust initiated by the President of Turkmenistan was emphasized. The Iranian side was invited to take part in the International Conference dedicated to peace and trust planned to be held in Ashgabat on the 12th of December of current year.
The Caspian Sea issues were considered in detail, including the analysis of the existing legal documents and the preparations to the Sixth Caspian Summit. The mutual interest in the development of cooperation on the given subject was expressed.
Upon the outcomes of the talks, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of two countries signed the “Programme of Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the period of 2021-2022”.
During the Inter-MFA consultations on the level of Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan and Iran special attention was paid to the intensification of trade-economic cooperation. Stressing the availability of high potential for collaboration in the given area, the parties agreed to hold a series of meetings in the framework of the preparation to the successive session of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Iranian Commission on Economic Cooperation.
The parties appraised the level of trade turnover between the two countries and considered the partnership in the area of energy, transport and others. The necessity of organizing joint events, exhibitions and forums for the development of business relations was underlined.
In addition, the opportunities of cooperation on the development of transport-transit potential of the region were discussed in detail. In this regard, the emphasis was made on the potential of regional transport corridors in participation of Turkmenistan such as the Lapis-Lazuli route and the international corridor “Caspian Sea – Black Sea” and the opportunity arising thereupon for the participation of Iran in the implementation of these corridors.
As well as, during the Turkmen-Iranian Inter-MFA consultations the cultural-humanitarian cooperation was considered in detail.
The parties expressed interest in the arrangement of joint cultural events, including those in face-to-face format as soon as the restrictive measures related to the global pandemic allow. In particular, the delegations discussed the preparations to the 300th birthday anniversary of the Turkmen poet-philosopher Makhtumkhuli Fragi, including the opportunities of hosting joint events timed to the date.
Also, the positive experience of cooperation between the regions of two countries was noted. The parties agreed to work on the development of contacts on science, education and medicine between Turkmenistan and Iran.