OREANDA-NEWS. December 4, 2008. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel, who had arrived in the Turkmen capital to take part in the international environmental and water forums.

Thanking the Turkmen leader for the opportunity of a personal meeting the honorary guest noted that he was very glad to visit Ashgabat which stood today as the centre of international co-operation in tackling challenges of the modern world and called for concerting efforts of the countries in the region as well as partner countries, the European Union in particular. Taking an opportunity Mr. Pierre Morel congratulated Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on considerable success of the European visits and the Turkmen-Azerbaijani-Turkish summit which had been held in Turkmenbashi town. The EU Special Representative emphasized that Turkmenistan’s innovative policy aimed at creating the climate of confidence and positive co-operation on the Eurasian geopolitical area had won the country the worldwide recognition and respect and focused on the response drawn all over the world by the Turkmen leader’s initiative to elaborate the approaches to water use and management in the region.

Greeting the guest Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov focused on Turkmenistan’s adherence to the active dialogue with its reliable partners including the EU member states which had been intensified in the past years. Touching upon the agenda of the international forums in Ashgabat the Turkmen leader noted that the problems related to efficient use of water resources in Central Asia should be solved on the basis of mutual respect and the universally recognized norms and principles of international law. Appealing to the relevant UN conventions and positive experience of co-operation with the neighbouring countries Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov briefed on Turkmenistan’s firm views on well-balanced solutions to water resource problems based on such important aspect as protection of the environment.


The sides exchanged views on further development of Turkmenistan-EU co-operation in the priority fields, in particular the sphere of trade and economy through applying the profound experience and considerable potential of partnership. Calling for further enhancing and intensifying fruitful humanitarian contacts the Turkmen leader and his guest discussed the opportunities of expanding co-operation in the spheres of education and science, high technologies.

In conclusion Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Pierre Morel expressed belief that Turkmenistan and the European Union would maintain the constructive dialogue meeting the interests of the partners and the goals of global sustainable development.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic attended the meeting.