OREANDA-NEWS. November 26, 2008. From ancient times Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have been the close and good neighbors and the Turkmen and Azerbaijani peoples are bound with the ties of friendship and mutually advantageous partnership. Our peoples have much in common, particularly the language, history, culture, traditions and customs.

The Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations are dynamically developed on the basis of the active political dialogue, enhanced economic ties and close cultural and humanitarian co-operation.

The good neighborly relations were intensified after the countries had gained independence. Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan established the diplomatic relations on June 9, 1992.

The visit of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to Azerbaijan on May 19-20, 2008 became a new landmark in the history of the bilateral relations. The top level talks focused on a wide spectrum of the bilateral relations including fuel and energy co-operation and collaboration of the Caspian Sea related issues. The sides expressed the reciprocal willingness to establish and develop full-scale partnership in priority fields of co-operation.

The regular contacts between the leaders of two countries and the exchange of the official government delegations attach the particular dynamics to the Turkmen-Azerbaijani relations.

During the meeting at the CIS informal summit last summer the Presidents of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Azerbaijan expressed the willingness to intensify the intergovernmental dialogue. In the framework of the top level agreements the Turkmen-Azerbaijani intergovernmental commission for economic co-operation met in Ashgabat on January 16-17, 2008 to consider the particular aspects on expansion of the bilateral relations.

Partnership in the framework of the United Nations Organisation can exemplify constructive and fruitful Turkmen-Azerbaijani co-operation on the world arena. Azerbaijan was among the first countries to support the status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan and was a co-author of the relevant Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 12, 1995.

Acting as a close and dependable partner the Republic of Azerbaijan welcomes Turkmenistan’s foreign policy initiatives aimed at tackling challenges of the modern world. In particular, Azerbaijan is a co-author of the UN draft resolution initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on safe and steady energy export to the world markets to facilitate economic progress and international co-operation. This initiative was put on the agenda of the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Bilateral co-operation is based on the bilateral agreements and legal documents signed during the years of independence of our states.

Azerbaijan ranks among the leading foreign trade partners of Turkmenistan. In the January-February 2008 the trade turnover between our countries made up US\\$ 488.9 million. Turkmenistan exports fuel and energy and chemical products and textiles to Azerbaijan and imports equipment, metal goods, medicaments.

Touching upon development of the trade and economic ties during the visit to Baku Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov focused on the vast opportunities in this field “based on the geographical proximity of two countries with the profound economic and resource potential.”

Ranking among the world’s energy producers and exporters our countries maintain close relations in the fuel and energy sector. This September the Turkmen-Azerbaijani oil and gas conference brought together the leading energy and investment companies from all over the world in Baku.

The historical and cultural kinship of the peoples of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan contribute to regular exchange of experience and knowledge in the framework of joint forums, conferences and festivals. Our people have the groundwork for co-operation in science, education, culture, tourism and sport.

The coming visit of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev to Turkmenistan will create new incentive to further bilateral mutually advantageous co-operation between our countries as well as bring the fraternal peoples of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan closer.