Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan and Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan held a joint media briefing on October 10, highlighting the potential for bilateral trade turnover to reach $1bn in the near future. This optimistic outlook follows a series of discussions aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two nations.
During their talks, Tokayev emphasized the importance of the agreements reached during his official visit to Turkmenistan, particularly the Declaration on Strengthening Friendship and Multifaceted Strategic Partnership.
“In this declaration, we reaffirmed our mutual desire to bring our fraternal peoples closer and elevate Kazakh-Turkmen relations to a qualitatively new level,” he stated.
The presidents reported a 28% increase in trade turnover last year, surpassing $500mn. This positive trend is expected to continue, with both leaders agreeing to explore expanding the range of goods exchanged between their countries. Tokayev highlighted the potential for increased exports of Kazakh agricultural products, especially wheat, while also noting that Turkmen businesses have ample opportunities to boost exports to Kazakhstan.
To further enhance interregional cooperation, a Cooperation Plan was signed between Kazakhstan's Mangistau Region and Turkmenistan's Balkan Velayat.
The leaders identified energy cooperation as a priority area for collaboration, with Kazakhstan expressing its intention to participate actively in developing gas condensate fields in Turkmenistan. A step forward was the signing of an Agreement on Cooperation in the Gas Industry between QazaqGaz and the Turkmengas State Concern.
Transportation links were also a key topic of discussion. The presidents noted a 20% increase in rail traffic between the two countries last year, reaching approximately 1.5mn tons. They reviewed ongoing projects, including the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway and the prospective construction of a railway route connecting Kazakhstan and Afghanistan.
Cultural and humanitarian ties were highlighted as essential for fostering deeper connections between the two nations. Both leaders expressed mutual interest in advancing cooperation in education, including the possibility of opening branches of Kazakh universities in Turkmenistan.
The presidents also addressed the importance of stability and security in Central Asia, discussing regional and international policy issues of mutual concern.
President Berdimuhamedov emphasized the constructive nature of the Turkmen-Kazakh dialogue, stating, “The high assessment of our current level of bilateral dialogue reflects our commitment to cooperation across politics, economics, and cultural spheres.”
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the results of their talks, paving the way for a strengthened partnership between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, with a focus on mutual growth and collaboration.
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