UAE business circles demonstrate keen interest in the TAPI gas pipeline project

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received the representative delegation of the United Arab Emirates, headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Minister of Energy of the UAE Suhail Mohammed Faraj Al Mazroui, Minister of Infrastructure Development of the UAE Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi and Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi took part in the meeting. 

Expressing sincere gratitude for the opportunity of a personal meeting, the head of the delegation, who arrived in Ashgabat to participate in the second meeting of the Joint Committee on Cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates, conveyed the cordial greetings from the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Turkmen leader and the best wishes to the people of Turkmenistan. The guest emphasized the interest of the United Arab Emirates in strengthening fruitful cooperation with Turkmenistan. 

Thanking for the kind words and conveying the warm greetings to the government of the UAE, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed satisfaction with the traditionally friendly and progressive character of the interstate relations, the development of which is of particular importance for our country. The Turkmen leader noted that Turkmenistan was always open for cooperation with the partners from the United Arab Emirates, built on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and longtermness. 

The President of Turkmenistan and the UAE representatives exchanged their views on the status and prospects of bilateral cooperation. Trade and economic sphere, the energy sector, transport and communications, as well as a number of other industries were specified among the priority areas of the UAE-Turkmenistan partnership. It was noted that the ambitious reformatory programmes and large-scale projects, implemented in our country, the industrialization and establishment of the modern industrial infrastructure, the introduction of advanced technologies and developments open up new opportunities for intensifying and diversifying the productive business relations, enhancing the investment activities, and efficiently using the existing solid multi-faceted potential of the partnership. 

Characterizing the Turkmen market as the extremely promising one, the guests emphasized that such an assessment included not only the richest resources, including hydrocarbon resources, but also the stable economic growth of the country, the availability of all conditions for running successful business. In this regard, the meeting participants expressed the willingness of the UAE partners to take part in the implementation of the investment projects in various fields, including the oil and gas and energy sectors, as well as the projects on the development of infrastructure, in particular the construction of railways and autobahns. Moreover, the UAE business circles demonstrate the keen interest in the TAPI gas pipeline project. 

It was underlined the importance of the further enhancement of the fruitful relations between Turkmenistan and the United Arab Emirates in the cultural and humanitarian sphere. 

The two countries have achieved the mutual understanding and affinity of positions on the important issues of the regional and global agenda, successfully cooperating on the world arena in the framework of authoritative international organizations and structures. In this regard, the UAE representatives emphasized the importance of the initiatives put forward by the Turkmen leader with the aim to ensure peace, security and prosperity all around the world. 

In conclusion of the meeting, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his guests expressed belief that the traditional interstate dialogue would strengthen and successfully develop in the interest of the two friendly countries and peoples. 

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Arab Emirates to Turkmenistan Khasan Abdullah Al Adab attended the meeting.