OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2012.President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, who arrived in Ashgabat leading a representative delegation of Pakistan to take part in a regular meeting of the joint Turkmen-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission.

Expressing gratitude for the opportunity of discussing the existing situation and the prospects for developing a multi-aspect intergovernmental cooperation within the framework of a personal meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan conveyed the best wishes to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the people of Turkmenistan on behalf of President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar also congratulated the President of Turkmenistan on the re-election for a second term underlining that the internal and foreign policy pursued by the Turkmen leader served as a guarantor of the further prosperity of Turkmenistan, and the growth of its international authority.

Within the framework of the meeting held in a warm atmosphere, the President of Turkmenistan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan exchanged their views on a wide spectrum of issues regarding the intergovernmental cooperation that within the last years had reached a qualitatively new level satisfying the mutual interests of the parties.

Reaffirming the adherence of the two countries to the long-term ties of friendship and good-neighborliness, as well as their readiness to enhancing the fruitful dialogue, the Turkmen leader and his guest defined the trading and economic spheres, development of the transport infrastructure, the cultural and humanitarian relations, as well as a number of other key spheres among the priority vectors for bilateral cooperation.

In particular, the Turkmen leader and his guest discussed the practical implementation of the measures on exporting Turkmen electric power to Pakistan via Afghanistan, using the transit potential of Turkmenistan located on the main transport intersection connecting Europe and Asia, developing mutually beneficial cooperation in the construction industry and agriculture.

Particular attention was paid to the issues of stirring up the economic partnership through organization of joint business forums, exhibitions, fairs that promoted to establishing close relations between the governmental structures and business circles, as well as between entrepreneurs and trading institutions of the two countries.

The President of Turkmenistan and his guest discussed cooperation in the strategic fuel and energy complex, in particular – the progress in implementing the grandiose project on construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) transnational pipeline that was of paramount importance for the whole region.

Speaking about the necessity of fostering the development of the Turkmen-Pakistani relations, the Turkmen leader wished the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan successful work within the framework of the meeting of the joint Intergovernmental commission, expressing belief that the meeting participants would apply every effort to ensure the steady growth of the constructive intergovernmental dialogue based on the best traditions of friendship and good-neighborliness bounding the people of Turkmenistan and Pakistan for centuries-old traditions.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Turkmenistan attended the meeting.