Turkmenistan – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: bilateral summit talks in Riyadh

Official visit of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has begun today. 

After official ceremony of meeting of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and His Majesty, the Custodian of Two Holy shrines, King Salman ben Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, in the Palace of “Al Yamama”, negotiations in the expanded structure with participation of members of official delegations of both states have taken place. 

Concerning the political-diplomatic dialogue between two countries, the parties have noticed that the new direction of the Turkmen-Saudi political relations - cooperation in the field of safety is being adjusted at present. As it was marked, during visit the bilateral document in this area, called to create new possibilities for wide partnership between corresponding official bodies of Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia will be signed. According to the mutual opinion of the parties, the document has special value as our countries actively counteract terrorism, the organized crime, drug trafficking, other threats and present challenges. In given context it was underlined the expediency to discuss in the shortest terms the interaction possibilities on the given direction for joint activity of military, law-enforcement and other bodies of two states on protection. 

Trade and economic cooperation has been noticed as one of basic vectors of the Turkmen-Saudi partnership. With a view of development of bilateral communication, there was created a joint Intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, the next session of which will take place in March this year in Ashgabat. 

The energy power sphere had been designated as priority branch of interaction. Having noticed that in this area, the special role is given to the project of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov invited the companies and financial institutions of Saudi Arabia to take part in realization of the given project. The head of Turkmenistan also has underlined expediency of support of the King of Saudi Arabia to begin necessary negotiations and consultations between the Governments of two countries, connected with joint activity on realization of the TAPI project. 

Among priority directions of cooperation between the Saudi and the Turkmen partners there have been defined three basic spheres - trade, finance and investments. Our country realizes various projects in petro and gas chemical industries. Thereupon interest in participation of the leading companies of the friendly country in projects carried out on given directions has been stated. 

The parties have also noted availability of all conditions for cooperation in industry and manufacture of building materials, in particular, cement. The textile industry had been defined as one of priority vectors of bilateral partnership. Interaction in transport sphere became a special theme of discussion. 

Ascertaining with satisfaction that during present visit the agreement on air communication between Turkmenistan and the Kingdom Saudi Arabia will be signed, the parties have expressed unanimous opinion that this is the first important step on a way of development of the Turkmen-Saudi cooperation in the transport field. 

Taking an opportunity, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has invited the head of the friendly state to take part in Global conference on stable transport system that will be held jointly with the UNO, in the end of current year in Ashgabat. The president of Turkmenistan has also invited the head of the friendly state to visit Turkmenistan with official visit on any convenient for him time. 

Upon termination of summit talks, solemn ceremony of signing of bilateral documents in the Royal palace in the presence of heads of two states has taken place. 

It was signed: the Agreement between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on cooperation in the field of security; the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of sports between the Government of Turkmenistan and Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Convention between the Government of Turkmenistan and Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on elimination of the double taxation concerning taxes on income and capital, and prevention of evasion from payment of taxes; the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Saudi Development Fund on financing of projects in Turkmenistan; the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on cooperation in the field of trade and industry; Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations between the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia; the Memorandum on cooperation in spheres of science and education between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and Ministry of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Agreement between the Government of Turkmenistan and Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on air communication; Program of Cooperation between Institute of the International Relations of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and Institute of Diplomacy named after Emir Saud Al-Faisal of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Today, the President of Turkmenistan also gave an interview to the representative of the daily edition of Saudi Arabia “Al Riyadh”. The same day, the Turkmen leader held meetings with Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Public Health, Trade and Industry, Finance of Saudi Arabia as well as with the head of company “SABIC”. 

According to the results of the first day of official visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the heads of foreign-policy departments of two countries have made a statement for press. As it was marked, the current visit is historical as it opens new page in the history of interstate relations. 

Having highly appreciated the first day of official visit of the Turkmen leader to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the heads of foreign-policy departments of two states noted that in the course of the second day of visit, it is planned the meetings of the President of Turkmenistan with the heads of the largest companies, authoritative financial organisations as well as scientific-technological sphere of Saudi Arabia, where it will be concretized the priority directions of development of bilateral trade-economic and humanitarian cooperation.