The Republic of Belarus celebrates independence Day on July 3. On this occasion, Ambassador extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Turkmenistan Vyacheslav Vasilyevich Beskosty shared his impressions of our country and told about the development of relations between the Republic of Belarus and Turkmenistan in an interview with the “Neutral Turkmenistan” newspaper. 

Impressions about Turkmenistan

– I was given the honor to represent the interests of the Republic of Belarus in Turkmenistan less than a year ago, and I can say that my impressions during this time are the most favorable. New enterprises are being opened in the capital and regions, transport and social infrastructure facilities are being built, and large-scale and ambitious projects are being implemented. I was particularly impressed by the white city of Ashgabat, which continues to develop and is getting better day by day. I have worked in different parts of the world, from Japan to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I would like to note that, despite the geographical distance, the Turkmen people seemed to me mentally and values close to the Belarusian people.

Political cooperation 

– Historically, our countries have been linked by relations of true friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation in many areas, so it is not easy to identify individual priorities. However, first of all, I would like to note the political interaction. Almost every year, top-level visits were held. Contacts are maintained at the level of parliaments and governments. It is no secret that Belarus and Turkmenistan actively cooperate in the international arena, including within the framework of global and regional international organizations. Our countries provide mutual support for draft resolutions, as well as for elections to United Nations bodies. Last year, Turkmenistan presided over the Commonwealth of Independent States, and next year, in 2021, Bela Rus will take over the baton. I am sure that our colleagues in Minsk are actively using the Turkmen experience of holding large-scale integration forums.

Mutual trade

– The Turkmen market has a wide range of food products and Belarusian medicines. Deliveries of automobile tires and batteries, woodworking products and a number of other goods are carried out. In turn, in Belarus, Turkmen clothing, bed linen, table linen and kitchen linen are well-deserved popularity for their excellent price-quality ratio. Yarn, plastic products, and petroleum products are also supplied. There is a great future in the economic sphere of cooperation between Belarus and Turkmenistan, and I sincerely hope that through joint efforts we will be able to bring it to a level that corresponds to the strategic partnership that has historically developed between our countries.

The role of the Embassy in increasing trade turnover and e-Commerce projects

- Assistance to Belarusian and Turkmen enterprises and individual entrepreneurs in establishing long-term mutually beneficial cooperation is one of the priority tasks of the Embassy. Especially today, when due to the epidemiological situation in the world, established logistics chains are being broken everywhere. In these difficult conditions, everyone has to look for new forms of work. In particular, Belarusian agricultural producers have adapted to the trends of the time. Just these days, the first virtual exhibition of Belarusian Producers Made in Belarus #AgroFood is being held. Leading Belarusian enterprises in the field of agriculture and food products present their products. I invite all interested participants to take part, the visit is free, registration of participants is carried out on the official website of the event, the exhibition will run until July 19, 2020. Taking into account the attention paid by the leadership of Turkmenistan and personally respected Mr. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the development of information technologies and e-Commerce, I would like to note the growing relevance and demand for online exchange trading tools in today's conditions. In particular, I hope that legal entities and individual entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan will be interested in participating in electronic auctions on the Belarusian universal commodity exchange. All the goods that form the basis of trade between the Republic of Belarus and Turkmenistan are represented there, and the practice of concluding direct transactions between foreign companies is widespread. The main services of the Exchange (training, provision of electronic digital signature and software, transaction support) are provided free of charge. I would like to take this opportunity to address Turkmen entrepreneurs: the trade and economic service of the Embassy is always ready to help in establishing contacts and establishing mutually beneficial cooperation with Belarusian enterprises. Direct phone numbers of diplomats answering these questions are listed on the website of the diplomatic mission.

Cooperation in the field of education

– The Belarusian-Turkmen cooperation in this area is without exaggeration the subject of our pride. More than 9 thousand citizens of Turkmenistan study in higher and secondary specialized educational institutions of Belarus. Today, taking into account the epidemiological situation in the world, a number of Belarusian educational institutions are taking measures to transfer certain mandatory stages of the entrance campaign to an online format. For example, at the Belarusian state pedagogical University. Maxima Tanka consultations and interviews for foreign citizens are held remotely. I sincerely hope that the situation will completely stabilize by the beginning of the school year and I would like to note that the situation with the spread of coronavirus in Belarus already gives reasons for cautious optimism. We are certainly interested in continuing the practice of training specialists in the specialties demanded by the Turkmen economy in Belarusian educational institutions.

I am sure that due to the measures taken at the beginning of spring to prevent the spread of this disease, Turkmenistan will also be able to survive and get out of this difficult situation even stronger, not only ensuring the health of citizens, but also preserving trade and transport and logistics ties with partner countries.