The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov , participating in the third meeting of the heads of foreign ministries of neighboring countries of Afghanistan (takes place in the Chinese city of Huangshan), held a series of bilateral negotiations.
On March 30, he discussed cooperation in the fields of gas supplies, security and humanitarian exchange with Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng .
Zheng proposed making natural gas cooperation the most important area of practical bilateral cooperation, as well as expanding cooperation in solar and wind energy, agriculture, transportation, communications, aerospace and equipment manufacturing, Xinhua news agency reported. news agency reported .
The Chinese official also noted that the parties should strengthen cooperation in the field of security in order to prevent and respond to incidents in a timely manner.
A week ago , China's National Defense Minister Wei Fenghe announced his intention to deepen practical military cooperation with Turkmenistan during a meeting with Turkmen Defense Minister Begench Gundogdyev .
In July 2021, Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Yi promised Turkmenistan "traditional and non-traditional" support to protect the country's state security "in connection with the development of the situation in Afghanistan."
Also, according to Zheng, China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Turkmenistan in the fight against COVID-19, including in the field of vaccines.
With Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaki Meredov discussed the implementation of projects of the TAPI gas pipeline, the TAP power line, the construction of a railway and mutual trade, the Afghan Foreign Ministry reports .
The Turkmen Foreign Ministry notes that the diplomats stressed the need for further intensification of the Turkmen-Afghan cooperation in the field of security.
Earlier, in January 2022, Muttaki held a meeting with Meredov in Ashgabat, following which it was announced that the construction of TAPI, TAP and the railway would begin in March 2022. As of March 31, none of the parties announced the start of these works.
On the same day, Meredov met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdulakhyan .
The parties noted the need to expand cooperation in the economy, trade, energy, transport and in the Caspian Sea, the Iranian Foreign Ministry writes .
The ministers also discussed the current situation in Afghanistan and Ukraine.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan