It is necessary to launch targeted business forums in Central Asian countries, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov said during his speech at the Central Asian Summit in the city of Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan on Thursday.
Noting the importance of Central Asian production cooperation, Berdimuhamedov said, “Our countries have vast natural resources and strong industrial and technological potential. Bringing them together and creating production partnership lines and "integration corridors" is an important issue.” Private business has an important role to play here, he added, the official Turkmen media reports.
The Head of Turkmenistan stated the launching of the business forums will provide a platform for the Central Asian entrepreneurs to communicate directly, independently build partnership schemes where it is profitable and expedient for them.
“In this regard, we propose to return to the idea expressed at the last Consultative Meeting of creating a Business Cooperation Council of Central Asian countries,” Berdimuhamedov told the summit.
The Turkmen President also said international business and financial institutions are interested in Central Asia, stating “they understand its potential and geo-economic value.”
“We have all opportunities to create a comfortable environment for entrepreneurship, to free it from unnecessary, often outdated barriers, to make Central Asia attractive for serious and long-term investment,” President Berdimuhamedov added.
The Fourth Consultative Meeting of Heads of Central Asian States was attended by Turkmen President, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. They adopted a joint statement following the summit.