Today, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who arrived in Samarkand to participate as an honoured guest in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, met with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

In April of the current year, the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries was marked, the President of the Russian Federation said, stating that the level of strategic partnership established and fixed in related documents, finds its reflection in practice.

At present, the sides work on realization of agreements reached in the course of the official visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Moscow on June 10.

Having made an emphasis on the economic relations, where energy plays a special role, President Vladimir Putin noted fruitfulness of long-standing work of Russian companies “Gazprom” and “Tatneft” in Turkmenistan. Having thanked President Serdar Berdimuhamedov for creation of necessary conditions for activity of Russian partners, the leader of the friendly country confirmed adherence of Russia to diversification of trade and economic cooperation with Turkmenistan, active interaction with which, many subjects of Russian Federation have also established.

Having thanked his Turkmen colleague for his attitude to the Russian language, Russian culture, which are an important aspect, creating a condition for fruitful partnership in all areas, President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that all mutual initiatives and plans in the humanitarian sphere will be implemented.

In this connection, the head of the state with satisfaction stated a high level of the Turkmen-Russian political dialogue, confirmation of which mutual visits and high-level meetings can serve.

The head of Turkmenistan also underlined that bilateral contacts between parliaments have been significantly strengthened. In this regard, the first Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the countries of Central Asia and the Russian Federation held in the Turkmen capital in May has a great significance. The visit of the Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation at the invitation of the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation planned for the autumn of this year will become the next step on the path of strengthening of fruitful relations in the given area.

As President Serdar Berdimuhamedov marked, regular government level contacts as well as regularly held consultations by foreign affairs departments facilitate progressive development of bilateral relations as a whole.

A constructive character is typical of cooperation between two countries within the framework of important regional and international organizations. In this connection, the head of Turkmenistan expressed his gratitude to his Russian colleague for unwavering support to the neutral foreign policy course of our country and its initiatives set forward in the UN and other international organizations.

In the context of the topic of Turkmen –Russian cooperation, one should note a positive dynamics of interaction in the trade and economic sphere as well as in the fuel and energy sector, the confirmation of which can serve agreements reached in the field of supply of Turkmen natural gas to the Russian Federation.

The transport and communications sphere has been outlined as an important area of partnership in the light of modern realities. Today, the role of transport, transit corridors and logistics assume a strategic significance.

According to the mutual view of the sides, the fruitful cultural and humanitarian dialogue takes a special place in the interstate relations. So, in view of deepening of long-term links in education, at present, the opening of a Turkmen-Russian university in Ashgabat is considered. Much work is carried out for interaction in the cultural sphere.

At the end of the meeting, Presidents Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that traditionally Turkmen-Russian relations will further strengthen and develop successfully and exchanged their best wishes of each other and friendly peoples of both countries.