President calls for expanding ties with Turkmenistan

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has called for further expanding bilateral ties with Turkmenistan in all fields of mutual interest and reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to its relations with Turkmenistan. He noted that Pakistan-Turkmenistan relations were based on a common vision for peace and prosperity in the region.

The president expressed these views while talking to the Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday.

President Zardari said that exchange of high-level visits between the two countries signified the mutual desire to further strengthen the bilateral understanding and cooperation.

Welcoming Deputy Chairman and Foreign Minister Meredov, President Zardari urged the need to enhance connectivity and communication between Pakistan and Turkmenistan. He noted that Gwadar port offered great opportunities for promoting regional trade and suggested that Turkmenistan should benefit from the port.

The president stressed the importance of continued exchanges and dialogue at all levels, as well as enhanced trade, economic, investment and cultural relations. He offered that Turkmen students could seek education in medical institutions in Pakistan. President Zardari also noted the importance of the Third Round of Bilateral Political Consultations held on Tuesday by the two foreign ministers.

Foreign Minister Meredov said that Pakistan and Turkmenistan enjoyed cordial relations and that Turkmenistan would continue to promote economic, cultural and educational cooperation with Pakistan. He highlighted the importance of constructing motorways and railways through Afghanistan to connect the two brotherly countries.

Meanwhile, Rashid Meredov spent a busy day in the capital calling on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and participating in the Third Round of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Bilateral Political Consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In both meetings, trade and economic investment were on top of the agenda where Pakistan deliberated “upon ways to develop closer economic engagement in the priority areas of trade and investment, energy, connectivity and information technology”.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz invited the Turkmen companies to benefit from the promising investment climate of Pakistan, highlighting the special role of SIFC in facilitating foreign investors to invest in different sectors of the country. He also underlined the importance of regional cooperation and connectivity and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to early completion of TAPI Pipeline as well as working together on other connectivity projects, said his office.

Meanwhile, Dar while commenting on the Third Round of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Bilateral Political Consultation invited the foreign minister’s attention to Pakistan’s investment climate and the special role of SIFC in facilitating foreign investors to invest in different sectors.

“We look forward to welcoming Turkmen companies to benefit from the promising investment climate of Pakistan,” he said. Dar pointed out that both sides in their meetings also reiterated their commitment to enhancing the volume of bilateral trade and making it commensurate with its true potential and existing ties between the two countries. “We will work together on trade diversification, early finalization of Transit Trade Agreement and instituting a liberal visa policy to facilitate greater contacts between businessmen of the two countries,” he said.

Pakistan said it values the constructive cooperation with Turkmenistan in the framework of international and regional organizations. “We will enhance cooperation and dialogue in multilateral settings including at the United Nations and Economic Cooperation Organization,” assured Dar. The Bilateral Political Consultations saw both sides reviewing Pakistan-Turkmenistan bilateral relations, including bilateral trade and investment, energy cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people linkages, said the Foreign Office.

They noted the positive trajectory of relations and agreed to further enhance high-level dialogue and exchanges at the leadership level. The two sides will also strengthen bilateral dialogue mechanisms. It was also agreed to develop a closer economic engagement in the priority areas of trade and investment, energy, connectivity and information technology.