President of Turkmenistan received the Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA

On 17 May 2012 President of Turkmenistan H.E. Gurbanguli Berdimukhamedov received Mr. Eduard Biriucov, Secretary General of the Intergovernmental Commission of the Interregional Programme for development of the international transport corridor Europe-the Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA) with the assistance of the European Union, who was participating in the International Conference “Prospects of Development of Transport and Transit in Central Asia and the Caspian Region”, held on 16 May 2012.

The Head of the state emphasized that Turkmenistan attaches great importance to all-round development of regional and interregional transit-transport communications ensuring efficient realization of huge economic potential, dynamic development of states of Central Asia and the Caspian region, their large-scale integration with the system of world trade-economic ties. This is the main objective of the initiatives of Turkmenistan submitted for consideration by the UN General Assembly.

Mr. Eduard Biriucov, Secretary General of TRACECA, expressed its gratitude to Mr. Berdimukhamedov, President of Turkmenistan, having thanked him for assistance, support and high level of the Conference organization, taking into account the results of fruitful work within the Forum the loaded programme of which and the representative composition of the participants indicated of the wide recognition of active position and relevance of international initiatives of Turkmenistan concerning the development of transport-communication infrastructure between the Caspian and the Black Seas, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Middle East.

In the course of the Meeting the sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues being of mutual interest regarding the prospects of cooperation, including the implementation of international projects aimed at formation of modern transport-communication infrastructure of regional and transcontinental importance in Turkmenistan.

In his address to H.E. President of Turkmenistan Mr. Biriucov informed that from the very first days of TRACECA Programme activities the member-states have been working over creation of the most favourable conditions ensuring quick, smooth and economically effective transportation of goods and passengers between active regions of Europe, the Caucasus and Asia. Within the framework of the EU-funded TRACECA Programme the TRACECA countries receive considerable financial and technical assistance to develop a transport dialogue on the regional level and to streamline national transport systems.

Full participation of Turkmenistan in the Basic Multilateral Agreement is substantiated by a number of considerable political and economic factors. Favourable economic situation creates everything possible in order to make Turkmenistan an important transit-transport centre of the Eurasian continent. All countries except Afghanistan having overland or maritime borders with   Turkmenistan are the TRACECA participating countries. Afghanistan applied for accession to the MLA TRACECA and presently this application is under consideration by the TRACECA countries. In this connection the Secretary General of TRACECA expressed hope for possible accession to the MLA by Turkmenistan in view of large-scale projects directed to a complex upgrade and development of transport infrastructure.

At the same time it was pointed out that an important factor in the development of international cooperation in the field of transport is the progressive policy, pursued by President Gurbanguli Berdimukhamedov, which will determine swift growth rate of economy of Turkmenistan and its high international prestige.

In conclusion to the discussion the head of Turkmenistan confirmed its willingness to further increase cooperation aimed at specific results.