On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says the sides will discuss key issues of Russian-Turkmen cooperation, topical issues of regional and international agenda, as well as cooperation between the two countries in multilateral formats. The diplomat pointed out that the Russian side considers the upcoming visit as an important component of the package of measures to strengthen bilateral relations, which is implemented under the Strategic Partnership Agreement concluded in 2017.
Strategic partners
The previous ministerial meeting took place almost a year ago, last April in Moscow. Despite the pandemic, the parties manage to maintain intensive contacts at all levels through regular videoconferences between ministries, agencies and regional authorities.
During the talks, Lavrov and Meredov will exchange views on current topics of multifaceted cooperation with an emphasis on trade and economic, cultural, humanitarian and educational spheres. The sides will also discuss coordination in international forums, including the CIS, UN and OSCE, as well as the CA5+Russia dialogue mechanism at the level of foreign ministers. Particular attention will be paid to the events of the Caspian Five, first of all to the sixth Caspian summit in Turkmenistan.
Joint response to common challenges
The foreign ministers are expected to discuss regional security issues and opportunities for a joint response to common challenges and threats in detail. Although Turkmenistan is a neutral state, this does not rule out cooperation between the two countries on certain security issues. For example, during Meredov's previous visit to Moscow, the ministers signed a memorandum of understanding between the two governments on ensuring biological security.
The situation in Afghanistan is a serious challenge for both countries. Turkmenistan, like other countries, has not recognized the Taliban (banned in the Russian Federation). At the same time, after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, Ashgabat and Kabul intensified contacts concerning the TAPI gas pipeline project (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India). On 11 January, the Taliban Foreign Ministry said that the remaining seven agreements for the project will be concluded soon. A total of 16 agreements were scheduled to be signed for the TAPI project, nine of which were concluded before the fall of the previous Afghan government.
In an interview with TASS, Zamir Kabulov, Russian Presidential Special Representative for Afghanistan and Director of the Second Asia Department of the Foreign Ministry, said that Moscow considers the prospect of Russian participation in the project "politically attractive. According to the diplomat, the previously considered most problematic issues of ensuring the security of this project have lost their acuteness. Along with this, Kabulov said that the issue of Russian participation depends on the profitability of the project for Russian economic operators.
The talks between Lavrov and Meredov are taking place against the backdrop of an aggravation of the situation in Donbass. Obviously, in this regard, the sides will touch upon the situation in the common space of the CIS.
Economic ties
Ashgabat remains a significant trade partner of Moscow in the region: thus, according to the results of ten months of 2021, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to about $730 million. In April 2019, Gazprom resumed the purchase of Turkmen natural gas, the volume of which grows annually. Dozens of major Russian economic operators, including Kamaz, Vozrozhdeniye and Tatneft, operate in the republic's market. The Intergovernmental Russian-Turkmen Economic Cooperation Commission plays an important role in deepening the bilateral economic relations.
The countries cooperate closely in the fight against coronavirus. Turkmenistan was among the first to register Russian vaccines Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona and Sputnik Light. Last year 330 thousand Sputnik V vaccine kits were supplied to Ashgabat, in January this year 800 thousand doses of Sputnik Lite, of which 300 thousand were donated.
Waiting for the elections
The visit of the Turkmen foreign minister takes place before the early presidential elections in the country scheduled for March 12. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on February 11 said at a meeting of the upper house of parliament that the time has come to give way to young people. On February 15, the Central Election Commission announced the start of registration of candidates; the first to register was the son of the incumbent president, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, who was nominated by the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and holds the post of Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. He promised to continue his father's initiatives if he wins.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS