Belarus and Turkmenistan observe remarkable date in the history of bilateral relations - the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic connections between the countries on 31 January 2018.For the last 25 years, our state succeeded to build solid and comprehensive system of bilateral cooperation.
Turkmenistan became reliable friend and strategic partner in Central Asia for Belarus and we highly appreciate the level of these relations.
Reliable basis of successful cooperation is achieved, first of all, by the Presidents of two friendly countries.For the last 10 years, annual mutual official visits of the head of our states, Alexander Lukashenko and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, became invariable tradition.
Great potential of the cooperation both in bilateral format and at international grounds has been revealed owing to the efforts of the Presidents of Belarus and Turkmenistan.Productive inter-government, inter-parliamentarian and inter-department cooperation, which allows implementing the agreements reached at high levels, was established between the countries for these years.
Many people call the relations between Turkmenistan and Belarus in political sphere as exemplary and we are proud of it.Our countries shares common principles and support each other in all main subjects of global agenda.
Our approaches to the solution of wide circle of the world and regional problems are similar.Belarus, the same like Turkmenistan, adhere to the necessity of peaceful regulation of any problematic issues and international conflicts seeking for mutual respect and equal cooperation with all international partners without any exclusion.
Our countries follow the necessity of the consolidation of the leading role of the United Nations in the solution of the main world problems.Wide and multiformat cooperation with the UN became strategic vector of foreign policy of Belarus and Turkmenistan.
We are grateful for permanent support that Turkmenistan renders to Belarus under the United Nations and sharing the approaches of friendly country provide return support of numerous creative initiatives of Turkmenistan on international level.
Belarus demonstrated again the similarity of foreign policy principles of our countries to the world, having become the first co-author of the Resolution on International Neutrality Day initiated by Turkmenistan and adopted by the UN General Assembly in February 2017.
The OSCE is real instrument in provision of peace, security and combating of universal threats in global scale.Our country is grateful for the support of the Republic of Belarus candidacy for the post of the head of the OSCE Regional Centre in Central Asia in Ashgabat.
We are confident that this international organization will be reliable partner of Turkmenistan and Belarus in the achievements of great targets set for the all OSCE countries.
As the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Turkmenistan, I would like to express firm intent of our country to the continuation and expansion of constructive cooperation of our countries both in bilateral format and under international organizations as well.
Development of humanitarian relations, which support the consolidation of understanding and friendly relations between two nations, is powerful power of strategic partnership of our countries.We have managed to make active contacts in culture, education, health protection, sport and tourism.
We are sincerely glad of the keen interest of Turkmen people in creative work of Belarusian cultural intellectuals and in our country in general.On occasion of remarkable anniversary of bilateral relations, the Days of Culture of the Republic of Belarus as well as the Days of Belarusian Cinema and the Days of Belarusian Poetry will be held in Ashgabat on January 24 26 of this year.
In our turn, we are always happy to welcome Turkmen art masters with concert programmes including under numerous art festivals in Belarus.
Bilateral cooperation of our countries in educational sphere is more actively implemented in personnel training for different branches of Turkmenistan economy in high educational institutes of Belarus.At present time, more than 8.5 thousand Turkmen citizens study in Belarusian educational institutes.
This is the largest number of foreign students in our country.Belarus appreciates the level of cooperation in educational sphere achieved between our countries and is interested in its further development as traditions of friendship that were laid today to our youth are the guarantee of the succession and further development of bilateral relations.
Cooperation in sport sphere is actively developed in recent time.Successful V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat in September 2017 were another strong stimulus toward the cooperation of our states.
On the threshold of two big sport forums in Belarus such as II European Games in 2019 and World Ice Hockey Championship in 2021, the potential of development of cooperation in sport sphere is considerably expanded between our countries.
Such close relations of our countries in political and humanitarian spheres support the efficient development of trade and economic cooperation.According to the decision of the heads of our states, the Trade Houses, which are very popular among Belarusian and Turkmen consumers, were opened in Minsk and Ashgabat.
Our mutual trade becomes more balanced every year.Belarusian consumers highly appreciate Turkmen textile goods made of natural cotton, hand0made carpets, fresh and dried fruits and other productions.
In its turn, Belarusian diary, meat and confectionary as well as MAZ vehicles, MTZ tractors, elevators, tyres, furniture and wooden doors as well as many other goods are well-known in Turkmenistan.
Construction of the largest industrial giant for production of potassium fertilizers the Garlyk Ore Dressing Complex, which was opened on March 31, 2017 with the participation of the Presidents of two countries, was the biggest joint economic project in the history of Belarusian Turkmen relations.
Important role in the development of bilateral economic relations belongs to the inter-governmental Belarusian Turkmen commission on economic cooperation, which had its 8th session in Minsk in 2017.
Despite the world economic crisis at present time and the reduction of volumes of trade, our countries have plenty of unused reserves for the intensification of productive cooperation in all spectrum of bilateral economic relations with starting of new beneficial projects.
In the end, I would like to note that ceremonial opening of new buildings of diplomatic missions of two countries with the participation of Presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in Minsk and Ashgabat in 2016 and 2017 accordingly highlights high level of achieved bilateral cooperation and again visually demonstrate that strategic partnership of Belarus and Turkmenistan will last for long time.