On December 6, a meeting was held in Moscow between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov . The Turkmen official arrived in Russia to attend the 12th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Turkmen Commission on Economic Cooperation.
The diplomats discussed cooperation in the foreign policy arena, in particular, in maintaining regional and global stability , cooperation on the Caspian and Aral Sea issues, and joint counteraction to new challenges and threats, writes the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.
In addition to considering regional and international topics, they discussed the schedule of upcoming political contacts and events, including through the parliamentary line , the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry reports . As well as trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including the creation of the Russian-Turkmen University and the construction of the building of the State Russian Drama Theater in Ashgabat.
Lavrov noted that Russia appreciates humanitarian ties and careful attitude in Turkmenistan to the Russian language and Russian culture.
“We appreciate the interest of Turkmen boys and girls to study in the Russian Federation. We will continue to create the most comfortable conditions for your students,” the diplomat added.
As a result of the negotiations, the Cooperation Program between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation for 2023-2024 was signed.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also reports the following information on bilateral relations:
• In eight months of 2022, the volume of trade reached $474.8 million, Russian exports to Turkmenistan amounted to $357.8 million, imports from Turkmenistan to Russia - $117.0 million.
• Since April 2019, PJSC Gazprom has resumed purchases of Turkmen natural gas, the volume of supplies of which is growing every year. Dozens of large Russian economic operators operate on the country's market, including KAMAZ, Tatneft and Vozrozhdenie.
• The most active ties with Turkmenistan are in Tatarstan, Astrakhan and Chelyabinsk regions, St. Petersburg.
• In 2021, Ashgabat received 330,000 Sputnik V vaccine kits, and in January 2022, 800,000 Sputnik Light doses, of which 300,000 were provided free of charge.
• More than 30,000 students from Turkmenistan study at Russian universities. The most in demand among them are educational institutions in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Kazan, Rostov-on-Don, Samara and Tver.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan