OREANDA-NEWS.  January 24, 2012. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, IRI President’s Special Envoy for Caspian Sea Affairs Mohammad Mehdi Ahunzade, who had arrived in Ashgabat.

Thanking the Turkmen leader for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet, the guest conveyed the cordial greetings of IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who had expressed the keen interest of the Iranian side in fostering the interstate dialogue to the leader of the Turkmen state.

Expressing the cordial wishes to the leader of the friendly country, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underlined the high level of Turkmen-Iranian relations that had been significantly intensified in recent years. Emphasizing that Turkmenistan like the other littoral states took efforts so that the Caspian region could develop in an atmosphere of peace and stability, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underlined the need to adopt for a coordinated mutually beneficial decision on the status of the unique body of water.

“Steadily pursuing the foreign policy strategy based on the principles of wide international cooperation and balance of national and common interests, independent neutral Turkmenistan stood for promoting constructive dialogue in the Caspian Basin and effective partnership on the bi- and multi-lateral basis,” emphasized the Turkmen leader expressing belief that strengthening contacts between the littoral states would be an important factor of sustainable development of the region.

Underlining the progress made in the negotiation process on the Caspian Sea related issues in recent years, the Turkmen leader underlined the important role of the continuous political consultations in harmonizing the views of the littoral states and addressing the issues regarding the legal status of the Caspian Sea which met long-term interests of the five neighbouring countries.

In conclusion President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed the cordial greetings and warm wishes to IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the people of the friendly neighbouring country.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Turkmenistan Seyed Mohammad Mousa Hashemi-Golpayegani attended the meeting.