Today, a Turkmen-Russian business forum, aimed at strengthening bilateral trade, economic and industrial cooperation has started in the conference hall of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan. The forum brought together more than 300 representatives of state organizations and private companies.

At the plenary session of the forum, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin delivered an introductory speech.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan noted, the large Russian delegation represented in Ashgabat testifies to the growing interest in building up ties between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation. This forum is an important stage in the development of the entire partnership. Thanks to the efforts of the parties, cooperation has acquired a clear focus on a specific end result.

According to Rashid Meredov, the foundation of Turkmen-Russian relations is a broad base covering all sectors of the economy, and contacts at the highest state level are the main determining factor in the dialogue.

“Last year, 5 meetings were held between the Presidents of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Russia Vladimir Putin, at which mutual readiness for the current development of cooperation was confirmed”, the Turkmen Vice Prime Minister emphasized.

During his speech, Rashid Meredov highlighted the main sectors of the Turkmen-Russian cooperation - the oil and gas industry, the transport and logistics sector, and shipbuilding.

Among the promising areas of cooperation, the sphere of high technologies was noted, to which Russia pays special attention.

“Turkmenistan is interested in the Russian experience in creating technology parks”, said Rashid Meredov.

In the context of humanitarian cooperation, the head of the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan mentioned the cross days of culture held regularly between the countries, as well as the recent tour of the Big Moscow State Circus in Ashgabat.

Rashid Meredov also mentioned interuniversity cooperation. To date, more than 30 thousand Turkmen students study at Russian universities, and agreements have been signed between a number of universities.

He noted that the support of the Russian language is carried out in Turkmenistan at the state level: “Today, there are 71 general education schools with instruction in Russian in the country, the Pushkin Joint Turkmen-Russian School, and the Magtymguly school in the Astrakhan Region”.

It is worth noting that round tables were also held today, at which were discussed the possibilities of cooperation in the field of industrial cooperation and construction production; cooperation in the field of innovative and information technologies, digitalization of the economy; trends and ways of interaction of the transport and logistics complex; cooperation in the field of education.