OREANDA-NEWS. January 30, 2009. The first meeting of the Turkmen-Egyptian intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific and technical cooperation was conducted at the President Hotel in the Turkmen capital.

The day before the representative delegation led by Minister of International Cooperation of the Arab Republic of Egypt Mrs. Fayza Abul-Naga had arrived in Ashgabat to take part in the meeting. The Turkmen delegation including the high-ranking officials and leading specialists of the particular ministries and departments was led by Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations N. Atagulyev.

The major agenda item of the talks held in the businesslike constructive atmosphere was the approaches to intensifying and diversifying mutually advantageous trade and economic cooperation. The participants actively exchanged views on the opportunities of developing effective cooperation in energy, water and pharmaceutical industries, agriculture, transport and communication. It was noted that the Egyptian business circles were greatly interested in establishing close contacts with Turkmen partners in the wide spectrum of fields.

Cooperation in tourism industry that was a priority sector of the national economies of both countries was characterized as very promising. The participants noted that Avaza National Project on the creation of the world-calls resort on the Caspian Sea coast – Avaza national tourism zone provided the vast opportunities in this sector.

Humanitarian cooperation, particularly in the sphere of education and healthcare was a focus of the talks. The partners unanimously called for enhancing and expanding cultural contacts as an essential component of the intergovernmental relations. In particular, the agreement to hold Days of Turkmen Cinematography in the Arab Republic of Egypt and Days of Egyptian Cinematography in Turkmenistan and the participation of the delegations of both countries in the international forums was achieved.

Upon concluding the forum the head of the Egyptian delegation Mrs. Fayza Abul-Naga expressed gratitude to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the Government of Turkmenistan for the heartfelt welcome extended in the Turkmen land and emphasized that the work of the intergovernmental commission had vividly evidenced the partners’ mutual willingness to maintain full-scale cooperation meeting the interests of the two friendly states and peoples.

Upon concluding the meeting the members of the commission signed the protocol setting forth the priority trends in intergovernmental partnership at the new stage.

The Turkmen-Egyptian intergovernmental commission for economic, scientific and technical cooperation will hold the second meeting in the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt – Cairo in 2010.