OREANDA-NEWS. April 16, 2009. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Assistant to the State Secretary on South and Central Asian Affairs Mr. Richard Baucher.

Expressing gratitude for the opportunity of a personal meeting the guest conveyed the heartfelt greetings of the leadership of his country – newly elected President Barack Obama and his administration to the Turkmen leader. The high-ranking guest said that the Government of the United States attached paramount significance to development of versatile co-operation with the Central Asian countries, particularly with Turkmenistan collaboration with which had entered a qualitatively new and higher level. In this regard Mr. Richard Baucher informed that the United States stood ready to provide assistance in implementing the ongoing reform programmes in the country.

Thanking for the cordial greetings and expressing the best wishes to the leadership of the United States Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan was always open for constructive collaboration and saw the vast opportunities to successfully cooperation with American partners in different fields including the fuel and energy sector, education and agricultural where the profound positive experience of joint work had been accumulated.

Focusing on mutual interest in furthering the intergovernmental dialogue on the principles of mutual respect and equality the sides discussed the priority fields of cooperation in the context with national priorities and trends in global development. Emphasis was put on the regional problems and approaches to achieving energy security in particular.

Highly appreciating the Turkmen leader’s initiative on reliable and stable transit of energy to international markets supported by the United Nations Mr. Richard Baucher informed that an official delegation of the United States representing American large business as well would arrive in Ashgabat to participate in the international conference aimed at promoting this initiative. Focusing on importance of the energy projects launched by Turkmenistan to place its profound energy potential at the service of the whole mankind the guest said that the American companies were keenly interested in establishing mutually advantageous partnership in oil and gas industry.

During the meeting the sides exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.

U.S. Charge d'Affaires a.i. to Turkmenistan Richard Monroe Miles attended the meeting.