OREANDA-NEWS. March 12, 2009. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attends the jubilee 10th ECO Summit Meeting.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov left Ashgabat to Tehran where he attended the jubilee 10th ECO Summit Meeting. First Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Parviz Davudi and other official persons greeted the Turkmen leader at the International Airport of the Iranian capital.

From the airport the President’s cortege headed for the residence at the Saadabat palace complex.

The leaders of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Turkey arrived to the Iranian capital to participate in the forum. The Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan were represented at the level of the prime ministers and the Republic of Uzbekistan – at the level of the head of the Parliament. The leaders of the neighbouring countries including Iraq and the State of Qatar and the heads of the large international organisations, in particular the United Nations and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference were invited to the Summit Meeting as honorary guests.

President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad cordially greeted the honorary guests. The Iranian leader invited the ECO leaders and guests to enter the Jenan Hall where the Summit Meeting opening ceremony was held.

Chairman of the 9th ECO Summit Meeting, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aleiv addressed the welcoming statement to the participants and guests of the international forum.

IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected Chairman of the 10th ECO Summit Meeting. Addressing the forum the Iranian leader focused on its significance for building the effective mechanism of cooperation in the ECO region meeting the modern realities and the interests of the countries of the region.

The Summit Meeting agenda included a wide range of the issues relating to the implementation of the large-scale joint projects, enhancing effective relations in such priority fields of collaboration as trade and economy, fuel and energy, transport and communication as well as traditional humanitarian partnership. The Tehran Summit focused on the global financial crisis and its impact on the ECO region and other important issues of mutual interests.

Then the floor was given to the Summit participants.

Addressing the forum President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov thanked the organizers for the heartfelt welcome and hospitality extended to the Turkmen delegation in Tehran and cordially congratulated IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on electing Chairman of the jubilee 10th Summit Meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization.

The Turkmen leader said that actively contributing to international cooperation Turkmenistan viewed this top level meeting as an important stage in the activity of the Economic Cooperation Organization which stood steadfast to the principles and objectives set forth in the Charter adopted over 16 years ago and had preserved its status as an instrument of economic cooperation free from any political or ideological situation. Adhering to these principles the ECO actively operated beyond the regional framework, developed relationships with other international organisations and different countries worldwide and expanded its contacts with the surrounding world. Noting that the time required the new approaches to cooperation to comply with the modern realities, global economic trends and regional processes the leader of Turkmenistan said that the major goal was to achieve political stability with the economic means, expand the opportunities for constructive economic partnership for the name of security and welfare, social and economic progress, sustainable balance of interests in different regions and, eventually, provide the positive impact on the general level of international security.

Spotlighting Turkmenistan’s standpoint Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov mentioned the further development, improvement and diversification of energy and transport infrastructures as the strategic fields of cooperation. Focusing on the complex challenge of energy security the Turkmen leader stressed that with that end in view Turkmenistan had put forward the proposal to initiate the international dialogue on security of transit of energy to international markets to the United Nations Organisation and submitted the draft resolution, which was co-authored by the ECO member states, to the UN General Assembly for consideration. As is known the draft resolution was approved.

Expressing sincere gratitude to the Summit participants for the unanimous support of this initiative Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that it illustrated the common awareness of the vital importance of this problem, adherence to constructive cooperation. Noting that Turkmenistan regarded such a position of the ECO member states as manifesting true friendship and solid relationships the President invited the representatives of the ECO member states to attend the high level international conference on stable and reliable transit of energy, which would be held in Ashgabat this April.

Another key trend in intensifying cooperation – to develop an extended transport infrastructure, which served as an essential factor for the successful implementation of the national and regional plans of social and economic development.

Noting that Turkmenistan had put forward a number of the initiatives to develop the new north-south, east-west transport corridors including the trunk railway Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov focused on the need to intensify efforts to implement the transport and communication projects providing the vast opportunities to cooperate with other countries on the Eurasian continent.

In this context emphasis was put on constructive cooperation among the ECO member states in the framework of the international organisations, particularly the United Nations, on preventive diplomacy, post-conflict reconstruction of economic and social infrastructure. The President cited the concrete example of Turkmenistan’s assistance to Afghanistan in establishing peace in the Afghani land and reviving its economy.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan would continue to provide overall support and assistance to the Government of Afghanistan and help the Afghani people to overcome the adverse consequences of the wars and conflicts that they had gone through in recent years.

In conclusion the President expressed belief that this Summit would be an important step to effectively implement the versatile potential of the ECO member states for the benefit and welfare of the peoples, peace and progress.

The Summit participants elected Yahya Marufi from Afghanistan Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization.

Focusing on the significance of this year’s Summit Meeting and the need to continue the dialogue all those present agreed to conduct the 11th ECO Summit Meeting in Pakistan in 2011.

In the closing speech Chairman of the 10th ECO Summit Meeting, IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad thanked all those present for the active participation in the discussion of the important aspects of cooperation and emphasized that today this cooperation was filed with a new content due to the common endeavours and goodwill.

On behalf of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran an official dinner was given in honour of the honorary guests – the heads of the states and government of the ECO member states

The meeting focused on the global financial and economic crisis was held in the afternoon.

Cordially congratulating the newly elected ECO Secretary General and wishing success in the activity on this high post the Turkmen leader noted that the global crisis had had no considerable impact on Turkmen economy due to the preventive measures which allowed mitigating the consequences of the crisis and laying the foundation for the further social and economic development of the country. Touching upon cooperation with the Economic Cooperation Organization the President emphasized that Turkmenistan viewed the Organization as the large international organisation free from politicization and particularly moving forward the regional economic and social projects. Expressing the readiness for wide cooperation in this field Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that in compliance with its status of neutrality Turkmenistan would participate in the Economic Cooperation Organization as an associated member. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s adherence to its international commitments and agreements on the implementation on the important joint projects. The Turkmen leader emphasized that prioritizing bilateral cooperation would further maintain the political, economic and cultural relationships with its neighbours in the region.

Upon closing the Summit Meeting the heads of the states and governments attended the awarding ceremony. The ECO gave awards for outstanding research work in the fields of economics and environment, culture and literature, science and technology, education and agriculture. A Turkmen scientist, Doctor of Geology and Mineralogy Mars Ashirmamedov received the award of the Economic Cooperation Organization.

The presentation of a special postage stamp to mark the jubilee 10th ECO Summit was conducted.

During the brief press conference IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented the report on the results of the Tehran Summit Meeting.

In the evening President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov returned to Ashgabat.