President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov will pay a visit to Russia next week, during which he will hold talks with Russian Leader Vladimir Putin, Russian media has reported today.
This will be their first negotiations in the status of leaders of the countries.
To recap, during a telephone conversation in April this year, Vladimir Putin invited the newly elected President of Turkmenistan to visit Russia.
On May 18, Vladimir Putin signed a Decree awarding Serdar Berdimuhamedov with the Order of Friendship. The Turkmen leader received this award "for his great contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan."
This will be Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s second visit abroad after his election as President of Turkmenistan in March this year. This week, he paid a two–day visit to Saudi Arabia, during which he performed the Umrah Hajj (small pilgrimage) to Mecca and Medina - the main shrines of Islam.
