President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Governor of St.Petersburg (the Russian Federation) Alexander Beglov, who arrived in Ashgabat, leading a representative delegation.Thanking the President of Turkmenistan for the warm welcome, the guest underlined that he was very happy with the opportunity to visit our country, with which St.
Petersburg is bounded with long-standing ties of friendship and fruitful cooperation in various fields.Expressing gratitude for the attention the Turkmen leader pays to issues of bilateral cooperation, Alexander Beglov confirmed the interest of the city on the Neva River in promoting the traditional dialogue, which is an integral part of the Turkmen-Russian relations.
Welcoming the guest, the President emphasized that the development of direct effective contacts with the largest regions, leading industrial and cultural centers of the Russian Federation, including St.Petersburg, was one of the key areas of successfully developing strategic cooperation.
The Intergovernmental Turkmen-Russian Commission on Economic Cooperation plays an important role in enhancing the full-scale partnership between the two friendly states, implementing the agreements reached at various levels.
During the meeting, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the Governor of St.Petersburg exchanged views on the most important issues of cooperation, specifying its priority vectors.It was noted that the positive experience of partnership gained in recent years and its solid potential had created all the prerequisites for expanding bilateral ties.
According to the Turkmen leader that is vividly testified by the work of well-proven representatives of St.Petersburg business community, including the "Renaissance" group of companies, implementing large-scale joint projects in the field of road and transport construction in our country.
The socially oriented state programmes implemented in Turkmenistan with the aim to industrialize the country, diversify and digitalize the national economy, ensure the scientific and technological progress open up favorable prospects for effective cooperation.
In this regard, the interest of St.Petersburg business circles in strengthening its position in the Turkmen market, intensifying investment activities and implementing new joint projects was underlined.
Trade and economic sphere, energy, shipbuilding, gas industry, IT-technologies, in particular those used in the construction of new "smart cities", as well as the transport and communications sector, including the modernization of the relevant infrastructure and the formation of international transit and transport corridors, where Turkmenistan has taken a number of constructive initiatives, were specified among the main areas of cooperation.
An important component of the interaction between our country and St.Petersburg, as well as the Turkmen-Russian relations in general, is the humanitarian area, where a productive dialogue has been established through education and training of qualified personnel, science and culture.
Touching upon this topic, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Alexander Beglov spoke in favor of further deepening the fruitful ties in this area, which will strengthen the ties of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
It was noted that in the year of the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory, it is of special importance to support the veterans of the Great Patriotic War and preserve the historical memory.
In this regard, the guest emphasized that the Turkmen soldiers were among the defenders of the city on the Neva River.Confirming the willingness for active bilateral partnership in a wide range of areas, the President of Turkmenistan and his guest noted that such interaction met the long-term interests of the both sides, as well as the strategic course of interstate relations.
Emphasizing the Turkmen leader's outstanding personal contribution to the development of the traditional partnership, Alexander Beglov expressed his sincere gratitude to the head of state for the substantive meeting, and admired the white-marble, impressive original architectural ensemble, national design and beauty of Ashgabat.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkmenistan Alexander Blokhin attended the meeting. *** Today, during the visit of the Governor of St.Petersburg to our country, he was received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ashgabat Khyakimlik, where they discussed the development of mutually beneficial partnership in its relevant areas.
Following the meeting, a bilateral document was signed.The program of staying of St.Petersburg delegation in Ashgabat includes the visits to A.S.Pushkin Turkmen-Russian secondary school, a concert of creative groups of St.
Petersburg at Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater, and the sights of the capital.