OREANDA-NEWS On 09 October was announced, that the fourth meeting of the intergovernmental Turkmen-Russia Commission on Economic Cooperation took place in Moscow. The meeting brought together the permanent members of the commission from both sides, as well as senior officials of ministries and departments and a number of state and business structures of Turkmenistan and Russia. The meeting was headed by co-chairmen of the commission - Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Viktor Zubkov.

As the Moscow correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, the meeting participants emphasized the overall positive dynamics of Turkmen-Russia cooperation in trade, economic and fuel and energy areas, as well as transport, communications, agriculture, education, science and culture.

Despite the worldwide crisis tendencies, Turkmenistan remains the only trade partner of Russia with constantly growing rates of trade. According to the parties, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to 5 billion 120 million U.S. dollars in January-August 2009, a 1,3 time increase year-on-year.

Defining the future plans for cooperation, the Intergovernmental Commission made recommendations relating to partnership in the fuel and energy sector, industry, education, agriculture, transport, fisheries, telecommunications, hydrometeorology, as well as customs, financial and banking sectors of both countries. It was decided to continue the work of the parties on the inventory of the legal basis of the Turkmen-Russian relations, as well as encourage the further development of cooperation between business circles and business communities of Turkmenistan and Russia.

It was decided to hold the fifth meeting of the intergovernmental Turkmen-Russia economic cooperation commission in the second half of 2010 in Ashgabat.

A joint meeting of the Turkmen-Russian and Russian-Turkmenistan business councils will be held in Moscow tomorrow under the auspices of the chambers of commerce of both countries. In the course of their work the parties will discuss the current state and prospects of development of partnership between the business circles of Turkmenistan and Russia.