On October 2, TASS published a full interview that President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov gave to the first deputy general director of the news agency Mikhail Gusman .

Like previous interviews with Russian publications, the conversation, which lasted 50 minutes, turned out to be rather boring and uninformative. Obviously, the questions asked by the interviewer were agreed in advance and seem more like an attempt to express veiled praises of the head of Turkmenistan than to learn anything new.

For example, Guzman approached the topic of the coronavirus epidemic with the following question: “Fortunately, Turkmenistan, I know, is one of the few countries that was able to more or less protect itself from this terrible disaster thanks to the efforts made by the government of Turkmenistan and you personally. <...> What, in your opinion, still needs to be done for prevention so that this terrible disaster does not affect your country and people? "

The TASS representative praised Berdymukhamedov for his excellent athletic form with the following question: “You know, Mr. President, first of all I want to compliment you - you are in such excellent athletic form. I was amazed that you are great at cycling, karate, taekwondo, and shooting. <...> When did you yourself come to the conclusion that sport is needed, that sport is a part of your life? "

As in an interview with MIR TV in May 2021, the editors applied a blur effect to the president's neck and chin. At that time, it was unclear whether this was the work of Russian or Turkmen television workers, but now it became obvious that it was the Turkmen editors who were hiding the flaws in Berdymukhamedov's appearance. The blurred chin of the head of Turkmenistan can also be seen in all photographs published in Turkmen newspapers and on the website of the state information agency TDH.

Here are the main points from the interview.

• Relations between Turkmenistan and Russia are those of two strategic partners. Turkmen-Russian cooperation is comprehensive, long-term, not subject to external conjuncture.

• Turkmenistan is working on a project to create a transport route Caspian Sea - Volga River with access to northern Russian ports and further to Europe.

• The dialogue between the presidents of Turkmenistan and Russia is “extremely trusting, open, friendly”.

“Our (Berdymukhamedov and Putin, - ed.) Acquaintance took place when I was still deputy prime minister and accompanied him during one of his visits to Turkmenistan. It was, if I'm not mistaken, in 2002.

In my opinion, Vladimir Vladimirovich is a great man with a simple character and a broad soul. A person with whom it is always pleasant to talk. "

• Turkmenistan was one of the first to register the Russian vaccines Sputnik V and Epivakkorona, which in many ways made it possible to successfully counteract the coronavirus pandemic.

• While there are “certain” restrictions on entry to Turkmenistan, including the termination of air links with other countries.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in the world, in neighboring countries and will act according to the situation. In general, I can say that Turkmenistan was able to effectively build defense mechanisms against this dangerous infectious disease. "

• Berdimuhamedov is proud of the people of the country who “understood, accepted and supported” the foreign policy initiatives of Turkmenistan. For example, in 2015, the UN decided to celebrate December 12 as International Day of Neutrality.

• The achievements of Turkmenistan are so extensive that it will take a long time to list them. For example, thousands of kilometers of modern roads, dozens of new factories, energy infrastructure facilities have been built, comfortable hotels and cottages have been built in the Avaza national tourist zone.

"Look at Ashgabat, at its architecture, residential buildings in which our people live."

• Speaking about his athletic form, Berdymukhamedov said that since childhood he was engaged in shooting, freestyle and classic wrestling, cycling and motorsport, and “has repeatedly received honorary badges and other awards”.

Among the sporting achievements, the President named the first place in his weight category at the republican championship in classical wrestling among teenagers, the first place in airgun shooting among juniors, the champion of Turkmenistan in clay pigeon shooting.

• The head of Turkmenistan connected his musical talents with ancestors: his grandfather and father wrote poems and stories, and Berdymukhamedov himself was a teacher for many years.

"Therefore, apparently, and I have clearly manifested the ability to create."

Berdymukhamedov considers writing books a part of his job and takes it “very seriously” - he studies a lot of source materials, requests archival data and consults with experts.

“I am perfectly aware that everything I have written goes to the broad masses, is studied especially carefully, and not only in Turkmenistan. <...> I hope that in this kind of activity, as they say, I manage to keep the bar and be useful. "

Berdymukhamedov said that due to lack of time he rarely meets with his family. According to the president, the eldest daughter is a physician, the youngest is an economist, and the son is "in politics."

• Turkmenistan is ready to work "closely" with the new Afghan government to normalize the situation and the socio-economic revival of the country. The situation in the neighboring country can be settled only by peaceful, political and diplomatic methods - "the Afghan people must independently decide the future of their country and decide on a new government, a form of state system."

The construction of the TAPI gas pipeline will contribute to the economic development of Afghanistan - it will provide the country with direct gas supplies, several thousand jobs and more than a billion dollars that it will receive for gas transit.

• Turkmenistan regularly sends humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, builds schools and hospitals there in rural areas. Afghan students study in educational institutions of Turkmenistan.

"Recently, a decision was made to send another humanitarian cargo as a sign of friendship and good neighborliness."

• Berdymukhamedov, in his words, "is a humble servant of the people and serves his country with faith and truth."

“For me, power is above all the highest responsibility. There is a classic definition: "Power is the authority and resources for making decisions and implementing them."

It is the awareness of your personal responsibility that is designed to protect you from hasty decisions - to check and calculate the consequences of certain decisions a thousand times. After all, behind each of them are people - with their worries, problems, hopes. This is what I am guided by while in the presidency. "

Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan