On May 13, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov went on an official visit to the Republic of Slovenia. In the morning, completing the program of his official visit to Austria, the head of Turkmen state departed for the city of Ljubljana, the Republic of Slovenia from the airport of Austria’s capital. From the airport, the motorcade of the President of Turkmenistan headed towards the “Brdo” Castle. Here, in the residence of the President of the Republic of Slovenia an official ceremony of welcoming the Turkmen leader was held. Then, President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Parhor invited the high Turkmen guest to proceed to the “Golden” Salon to hold high-level bilateral talks in the one-to-one format. During the meeting, which was held in the trust-based and constructive atmosphere, the head of two countries gave consideration to the implementation course of the agreements reached earlier and exchanged opinions on a broad range of issues of the Turkmen-Slovenian partnership. Having definitely concretized the key areas of cooperation at the present stage, the counterparts confirmed the mutual readiness of Turkmenistan and Slovenian to enhance productive interaction on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. The sides also exchanged opinions on the topical issues of regional and international policy of mutual interest. Upon completion of the talks, Presidents Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov and Borut Pahor proceeded to the “Red” Salon of the “Brdo” Castle and exchanged gifts. The leader of nation presented his Slovenian colleague with a magnificent handmade carpet woven by Turkmen weavers. In his turn, President Borut Pahor presented the eminent Turkmen guest with the book – “Medicinal Plants of Turkmenistan” authored by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, which had been published in the Slovenian language. The leader of Slovenia also presented a selection of spices used in the Slovenian national cuisine. Then the Turkmen-Slovenian talks were held in the “Silver” Salon of the “Brdo” Castle with the participation of the two countries’ official delegations. Highly appraising the meeting with President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov, the head of the friendly country spoke of the intention to intensify fruitful cooperation with Turkmenistan regarded by the Republic of Slovenia as a responsible and reliable partner. Highlighting the progressive, fruitful character of the bilateral relations, President Borut Pahor stressed that the agenda of the talks included a wide range of issues of promoting interstate cooperation in all its areas. As emphasized, the agreements reached by the sides at high level are a reliable platform for advancing the efficient interaction in the trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres. Having noted with satisfaction the commonality or coincidence of the two countries’ standpoints on the most topical issues of international policy, the Slovenian leader stressed the aspiration of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Slovenia towards strengthening peace, security and stability at regional and international levels. In this context, President Borut Pahor has highlighted the importance of neutral status of the Turkmen state, which plays a key role in the Central Asian Region today. Expressing confidence that the talks and the agreements reached following their results would contribute to all-round strengthening of the traditionally friendly relations and mutually advantageous partnership between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Slovenia, President Borut Pahor addressed his wishes of well-being and prosperity to the entire Turkmen people. The floor was given to the President of Turkmenistan. Placing accent on the agenda of the summit meeting, which included prospects for further development of the trade-economic, cultural-humanitarian relations, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has stressed that Turkmenistan also considers cooperation with the Republic of Slovenia in the light of an effective dialogue with the European Union. Having marked that 20 years ago – in 1995, the Community of Nations granted the status of permanent neutrality to our country, the leader of nation underlined that jubilee celebrations would be held in honor of the significant event. The head of Turkmen state invited President Borut Pahor to take part in the International Conference devoted to the event, and the festivities to be held in Ashgabat in December this year. The ready-for-signing documents designate different areas of cooperation between our countries. The head of Turkmenistan expressed confidence that the outcomes of the talks and the agreements reached would determine a qualitatively new vector of Turkmen-Slovenian interaction. Noting with satisfaction that in the course of the talks with President Borut Pahor an exchange of opinions was held on a number of vital international issues, the Turkmen leader stressed the understanding and similarity of the two countries’ attitudes towards the future development of global and regional processes. Both states stand for maintaining and enhancing strategic global stability and security, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said, having emphasized that it is particularly topical in the light of those complicated processes occurring in a number of regions of the world. In the course of the meeting, commitment to peaceful, political settlement of all international disputes and crises, adherence to rules of international law and the Charter of the United Nations Organization, were also confirmed. The successful political dialogue is a solid foundation for advancing the trade-economic relations, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said, having stressed that he considered it necessary to give further impulse to them, evaluate real prospects for cooperation, and establish practice of regular contacts at government level. Expressing his confidence that our countries have all possibilities to considerably boost mutual trade and investments, to implement joint projects in different sectors, to find new areas for cooperation, the President of Turkmenistan spoke of the importance of active attracting private entrepreneurs of both countries to the work, giving them all-round state support. In the transport field, there are opportunities available for our countries to be actively involved in the Eurasian transport-transit network of interaction in the East-West direction with access to Southern and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean basin, vast markets of Near East and Southern Asia, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said, having noted that last year President Borut Pahor came to the Caspian Sea coast during his visit to our country and familiarized himself with the scope of construction of the new port infrastructure in the city of Turkmenbashi. The head of state also pointed out the significance of taking advantage of the two countries’ possibilities to activate cooperation in marine transport operations. In this connection, the leader of nation has stated that Turkmenistan regards Slovenia as one of its prospective partners, including in the context of interaction with the European Union. President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov has mentioned the energy dialogue between Turkmenistan and Europe as one of the areas of strategic partnership, having emphasized that in this context, our country counts on the active role of Slovenia in the process. Support rendered to our international initiatives in the sphere of stable energy testifies to similarity of the two countries’ attitudes towards the global issue. The concept of energy security first of all means for us diversification of energy flows, the head of Turkmen state said. Pending the subject, the leader of nation has stated that Turkmenistan considers with interest the possibilities to supply its energy carriers in the western direction, and confirmed its readiness for closer interaction with the friendly country with a glance to the project implementation. As for the trade-economic cooperation, the head of state has noted that statistics show that although the dynamics of trade turnover has a tendency to growth, yet it does not reflect our countries’ potential. Today Turkmenistan imports pharmaceutical products, telecommunications equipment, electrical goods from Slovenia, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said, having expressed readiness to continue cooperation in these fields. Having confirmed the necessity of opening new vistas of cooperation, seeking ways to diversify trade turnover, the leader of nation spoke of Turkmenistan’s willingness to welcome more active participation of Slovenia in investment projects in our country, in the development of tourism and the services sector. Putting forth a proposal to organize reciprocal exhibitions of goods, purpose-oriented exchanges between the two countries’ business circles, the head of state has expressed confidence that the sides have much to offer each other. Having noted the great significance of the humanitarian relations in interstate cooperation, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov stressed that in this context the development of interaction in education is topical. Highly appraising the role of Slovenia in the process, the Turkmen leader cited as examples the implementation of the European Union’s Program – TEMPUS, and the “Eurasian Cooperation for Excellence and Advancement” project, in which the University of Ljubljana represents the European side as a coordinator. The head of Turkmenistan proposed to look into the possibilities of training Turkmen students and specialists in educational and research centers of Slovenia. President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov also pointed out the necessity of giving an impulse to more active partnership in the cultural sphere by organizing reciprocal festivals and Culture Days. Upon completion of the talks, the ceremony of signing bilateral documents was held. To the applause of the ceremony participants, Presidents Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov and Borut Pahor affixed their signatures to the Joint Statement. The documents signed are: the Agreement between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on cooperation in the field of transport; the Agreement between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on international highway service; the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia on cooperation in the field of culture; the 2015-2016 Program for Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia; the Agreement between the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan and the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts on scientific cooperation. After the signing ceremony Presidents of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Slovenia made an address to the press. Upon completion of the talks the motorcade of the Turkmen leader headed towards the Government Building of the Republic of Slovenia – “Podrόżnik”. An official dinner in honor of the President of Turkmenistan was given on behalf of the head of the Government of Slovenia Miro Cerar, at which an interested exchange of opinions was held on topical issues of bilateral cooperation in the context of the outcomes of the high-level talks and prospects for further strengthening of mutually beneficial partnership in its main areas. In the evening, an official dinner in honor of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov was given on behalf of President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor in the “Brdo” Castle. Then President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov became acquainted with a local breed of horses during their training in the Lipica Complex, and paid attention to the breed characteristics. In the course of conversation, horsewomen told the head of Turkmen state about the peculiarities of horses bred in the complex, their participation in international competitions and the results achieved. Speaking to the Slovenian horsewomen, the leader of nation gave them insight into the history and origin of famous Akhalteke horses, and their outstanding characteristics. President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov also presented the jockeys with his book devoted to Akhalteke horses, and invited them to pay a visit to Turkmenistan to exchange experience with their Turkmen colleagues – horse breeders, jockeys, and become familiar with the “heavenly horses”. These would enable Slovenian horsewomen to evaluate their wonderful features and peculiarities. May 14 was the final day of the two-day official visit by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov to the Republic of Slovenia. In the morning, the head of Turkmen state visited the Slovenian company – “Iskratel”, a world-famous leading manufacturer of telecommunications equipment, a leading technology company of the European Union. Upon arrival at the company’s office, the President of Turkmenistan was welcomed by its Director General Jelko Pulich and members of the board of “Iskratel”. The company’s top managers familiarized the leader of nation with its innovative potential, having presented new developments and solutions, as well as reported on results of the activity ongoing as part of the joint project aimed to develop telecommunications systems in Turkmenistan, to increase capacities of the local telephone network. In particular, in compliance with the Resolution of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov in October 2013, the Ministry of Communication made a contract with “Iskratel, Telekomunikacijski sistemi, d.o.o., Kranj” (Slovenia). Last year, under the contract, the company delivered communications equipment to ensure operation of over 63, 500 telephone numbers, including with access to high-speed Internet service. Digital telephone exchanges were installed and put into operation in the capital and the country’s regions, in particular in Ashgabat – 20, 000 telephone numbers and 14, 000 numbers with access to high-speed Internet; in Akhal velayat – 10, 048 telephone numbers, 2,208 numbers with high-speed Internet service, and 9 settlements were provided with telephone connection; in Balkan velayat, Turkmenbashi city and Guvlymayak, Kiyanly, Garabogaz settlements – 3,456 telephone numbers, 608 numbers with high-speech Internet service; in Lebap velayat – 18,816 telephone numbers, 2,272 numbers with high-speed Internet service, 29 settlements were provided with telephone services; in Mary velayat –6,144 telephone numbers, 1,088 numbers with high-speed Internet service; in Dashoguz velayat – 5,120 telephone numbers, 800 numbers with high-speed Internet service. Presenting the strategy and technological achievements of the Group of Companies – “Iskratel” to the high guest, the company’s executives spoke of their interest in strengthening their position in the rapidly developing Turkmen market. Given the large-sale reforms in our country’s transport-transit system and development prospects of the field, Slovenian specialists have worked out proposals for the improvement of logistic links as a structural basis of the sector and the entire economy. It is referred to new information and communications solutions aimed to organize and control transport connection, multimodal transportation of goods and passengers, to provide high-quality services in this sphere. To ensure well-coordinated and efficient interaction of all types of transport networks, an integrated softswitch has been developed. It enables to combine a wide range of services and transport routes (including bicycle ones) on a single platform. The system’s operational efficiency was demonstrated to the leader of nation Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov by means of an illustrative example of renovation of railway telecommunication lines. The presentation of the project was accompanied by slides with technical parameters and features, detailed information about the expected results. The application of the software product will ensure efficient interaction of all the sections, a rapid and rational transition from one type of transport to another without any inconvenience for a consignor and a consignee. It will also make it possible for customers to reserve tickets quickly and easily, to define the most favorable route. The system ensures activation of the whole transportation process and its constant control. The “North-South” and “West-East” directions were used as demonstration models of improving the logistic systems. It was shown how the latest telecommunication solutions enable to optimize goods and passenger flows from the north to the south of Turkmenistan, and from the east to the west of the country, to significantly reduce the time of transportation and material expenses, and at the same time, to raise profitability of the transport complex, its transit competitiveness. In the course of the conversation, the issues of training specialists to service the high-technology platform were also given consideration. As the President of Turkmenistan noted, the issue of personnel training had been also discussed at the meeting with the leadership of the Republic of Slovenia, in particular, increase of a quota for Turkmen young people, who are sent to study at the higher education institutions of Slovenia. Executives of the company’s departments were introduced to the President of Turkmenistan. The company employs over 1,000 people; about 300 specialists are working in the branch offices in 20 countries. Upon completion of the program of the visit to Slovenia President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov proceeded to the Ljubljana International Airport to depart for his native country.