Turkmenistan highly values  its relations with the United States and remains committed to further strengthening bilateral cooperation on key issues on the global, regional and bilateral agendas. This was stated by Turkmenistan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rashid Meredov, at a reception marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.

The head of the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed his gratitude to the US for its unwavering support for Turkmenistan’s policy of permanent neutrality, as well as for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to him, Turkmen-American relations have been steadily developing in various areas in recent years. Meredov noted that this year marks the 34th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He highlighted the effectiveness of the bilateral mechanisms established over the years, in particular the annual political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the US Department of State, which are constructive, open and substantive in nature.

The Minister emphasised that Turkmenistan and the US cooperate closely within international organisations, particularly the UN, and thanked the US for its consistent support for the initiatives and resolutions put forward by Turkmenistan at the UN General Assembly. He also highlighted the active cooperation within the Central Asia–US (C5+1) framework, established in November 2015, which contributes to the expansion of economic ties, the resolution of environmental issues and the addressing of regional security concerns.

Speaking about trade and economic relations, Meredov highlighted cooperation with American companies such as John Deere, Case, Caterpillar, General Electric, Boeing, Visa and Sikorsky. According to him, bilateral economic relations offer great opportunities for further dynamic development.

The Minister also highlighted the successful implementation of projects under the "Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation" programme and the Government of Turkmenistan’s participation in sixteen educational programmes run by the US Embassy. Cooperation in the fields of science, education and culture, he said, remains one of the key pillars of bilateral relations.

Meredov also thanked Elizabeth Rudd, the US Ambassador to Turkmenistan, for her personal contribution to the development of bilateral cooperation, noting that Ashgabat intends to maintain the positive momentum in relations and work towards further strengthening them.