President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin, who arrived in our country on a working visit. Welcoming the guest, the Turkmen leader underlined that Turkmenistan considered the Republic of Kazakhstan as an important partner. “We sincerely value the mutually respectful interstate relations established over the years and attach particular attention to their development on a bilateral and multilateral basis”, the President of Turkmenistan said, expressing belief that the constructive dialogue between the two neighboring countries would continue to develop progressively. Thanking for the cordial welcome and emphasizing the importance that Kazakhstan attaches to strengthening ties with Turkmenistan, the guest conveyed warm greetings and good wishes from the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev. According to Askar Mamin, Kazakhstan highly appreciates and fully supports the progressive policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan and important international initiatives put forward by the Turkmen leader with the aim to strengthen peace, stability and prosperity on the regional and global scale. Thanking the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan for the warm words, the Turkmen leader conveyed his best wishes to Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev and first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, as well to the people of Kazakhstan, bound with the people of our country with centuries-old ties of friendship, brotherhood and good neighborly relations that provide a platform for developing cooperation in the new historical epoch. During the meeting, the Turkmen leader and his guest highly evaluated the level and dynamics of development of the interstate dialogue, and exchanged views on a wide range of cooperation, including within the framework of authoritative international organizations. According to President of Turkmenistan, developing bilateral ties, we rely on the old traditions of fraternity and mutual sympathy of peoples, the adherence of our states to the principles of peacefulness and humanism that stands as a basis for cooperation and mutual understanding of important issues of global and regional development, where our countries have similar approaches. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of a number of interstate economic projects, as well as the prospects for building up partnerships in such strategic areas as trade, economy, transport and logistics, energy, agriculture. According to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, our country pursues the policy of “open doors” and good neighborliness, takes practical steps to form a transport and transit corridor for the states in the region and the world. In this context, the importance of operating transnational North-South railway, as well as Turkmenistan’s initiative to build a modern Turkmenbashi-Kazakhstan highway, which in the near future will increase trade, passenger and freight traffic between the countries, was emphasized. When discussing the issues of cross-border cooperation, the meeting participants focused on the development of the transit potential of neighboring states, the implementation of energy projects actively promoted by Turkmenistan. The importance of deepening cooperation in ensuring global energy security, consolidating efforts in addressing environmental problems was emphasized. It was noted that in the light of modern realities, one of the topical vectors of cooperation is the field of ecology, where Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan interact, in particular, within the framework of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), special attention is also paid to the efforts taken to address the Caspian Sea issues. “Our countries have great opportunities for building up trade and economic relations”, said President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, underlining the role of the Intergovernmental Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan Commission on Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation. In this regard, the Turkmen leader proposed to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Commission with the participation of the heads of the leading ministries and departments of Turkmenistan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan in order to discuss the important issues of expanding the partnership that was supported by Askar Mamin. It was expressed the mutual interest in the implementation of new joint projects, including in the field of gas chemistry, the supply of Turkmen gas to the domestic market of Kazakhstan, the agro-industrial complex, as well as readiness to build up constructive partnerships both in the bilateral format and within international organizations. The participants of the meeting discussed the development of a fruitful dialogue in the humanitarian field. The importance of enhancing contacts in science and education, culture and sports was underlined. Congratulating President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the Independence Day, which is celebrated this month, Askar Mamin expressed belief that the constructivism of the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan, based on the principles of permanent neutrality, would continue to promote cooperation in a wide range of areas. At the end of the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan confirmed the commitment of the two countries to the comprehensive development of interstate relations.