TRACECA and Turkmenistan: All Levels of Cooperation Favour to Consolidation of Partnership in the Region

The Conference was attended by the Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA, Secretary General of ECO, Ministers of Transport and representatives of Ministries of Economic Development of the region, heads of other international organizations, representing continental and regional community of states, representatives of international banks and financial institutions, as well as heads of Associations of international carriers of Eurasia.

Mr. Gurbangulн Berdimuhamedov, His Excellency, the President of Turkmenistan took part in the solemn ceremony of the Conference opening. The head of state emphasized that Turkmenistan had put forward important initiatives aimed at the development of extensive international cooperation and had been taking the required actions for their practical realization. Huge possibilities are open for optimization of transport flows in Eurasian region, a new strategic perspective is added to interregional and intercontinental communications. His Excellency, the President pointed out that Turkmenistan is strategically located for the development of its transport communications and increase if traffic flows in the region Europe-the Caucasus-Asia TRACECA.  In particular the participation of Turkmenistan in the TRACECA projects will give an opportunity to consistently and actively take practical steps on the revival of the Great Silk Road with the view of consolidating its status as an important transport nodal point in the region, as well as implementing high transport technologies, organizing and improving multimodal transport. 

In his speech Mr. Biriucov, Secretary General of TRACECA pointed out the significant role of Turkmenistan in the speed-up of transit transport volume in the region, development of transport network on the whole and participation in mutually advantageous projects with the view of ensuring economic independence of the country as one of priority directions of the strategy of Turkmenistan. Locating on the junction of main transport routes of commodities of Eurasian region, Turkmenistan makes an enormous contribution to the development of mutually beneficial economic ties between countries and regions, as well as the intensification of freight and passenger transit flows. The country has all necessary resources and possibilities for further strengthening of its role as the “significant crossroad” on the routes of the Great Silk Road.

During the quadrilateral meeting Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia there was held the discussion on affording new possibilities for the outlet of member states and other countries of the region to the world markets promoting the intensification of trade-economic ties in Eurasian region. The realization of these possibilities is of primary importance for social-economic revival of Afghanistan, its involvement in large-scale regional and international infrastructure projects and programmes, including TRACECA.

The participants of the Conference determined a key role of transit transport corridors in ensuring sustainable development and international cooperation, problems and possibilities of developing road, railway and ferry transport, as well as transport dialogue for modernization of national projects, programmes and the outlook for the future. Upon completion of the Conference there was adopted Ashgabat Declaration.