The official visit of President of Turkmenistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

On May 1, it starts an official visit of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

In the framework of the upcoming summit talks, the leaders of the two friendly countries are planning to discuss wide range of issues on current aspects of international politics as mutual interest as well as perspective development of the Turkmen-Saudi cooperation in political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. 

As noted, the strengthening of the Turkmen-Saudi cooperation on bilateral and multilateral basis, primarily through the major international organizations and competent bodies are undergoing in view of activization of dialogue of Turkmenistan with the Middle East. In this regard, this cooperation acts as one of the priorities of the foreign policy doctrine of our country. 

A distinctive feature of modern relations between Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia was originally characterized its high level of trust and mutual understanding, moreover, in recent years there was a growing tendency of intensification of dialogue built on an equal and mutually respectful basis. The vivid evidence of it is the fact that in April of 2007 the first official visit in the capacity of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was indeed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

The participation of representatives of business circles of the friendly country in joint business forums by holding international exhibitions and trade fairs in Turkmenistan bears the growing interest of the Saudi business to expand its presence in the perspective Turkmen market. Thanks to the policy of the leader of the nation for creation of the most favorable conditions to foreign partners. 

A special role in the comprehensive expansion of business contacts and finding new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, admitted by both sides are entrusted to the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Saudi Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation, the fourth meeting of which was held in Ashgabat in March of this year. 

The sides attach great importance to comprehensive development of cultural and humanitarian ties to strengthen the bridges of friendship between the two brotherly nations. 

The upcoming Riyadh summit talks will give a new impetus to bilateral relations and will help achieve the most effective measures aimed at further intensification of a constructive political dialogue, expansion and diversification of trade and economic partnerships and strengthening of traditional, cultural and humanitarian contacts. 

As expected, special attention is paid to the perspective areas in particular fuel and energy, trade and economic, and transport spheres, the development of which both countries are interested in setting up a sustainable transport and energy infrastructures, are attached the primary importance. 

To underline, Saudi Arabia over the years has consistently expressed its full support to the policy of the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his important international initiatives aimed at ensuring energy security and the initiated by the Turkmen side the gas pipeline project Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. 

In this connection, a separate theme of talks will be the possibility of attracting the Saudi partners in particular the largest companies and reputable financial institutions to implement new joint projects in the oil, gas and chemical industries, the construction of new gas and oil refineries, the building materials industry and the transport sector with regard to creation of the international transit corridors North-South and East-West.