On October 27, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov received Governor of Astrakhan Region of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhilkin. Appreciative of the personal audience, the guest warmly congratulated the head of state on the national holiday – 25th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Independence, and wished happiness, well-being and prosperity to the people of Turkmenistan. As Zhilkin A. stressed, he was delighted to visit Turkmenistan again. The country and Astrakhan Region have had long-standing relations of friendship and fruitful partnership, which is rapidly developing in the field of economic projects and humanitarian area. Welcoming the guest, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov pointed out the traditionally friendly, good-neighborly character of cooperation with Astrakhan Region of the Russian Federation, which has been initially built on the principles of mutual beneficial and long-term relations. In the course of the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan and the Governor of Astrakhan Region exchanged opinions on topical issues of bilateral cooperation, having focused on top-priority areas such as the trade-economic and transport-communications spheres. In this regard, an interest was evinced in opening the wholesale and logistics center in Astrakhan Region to make Turkmen products easily accessible in the Russian market, and launching direct flights between the cities of Ashgabat and Astrakhan. A. Zhilkin noted that on the whole, this would positively contribute to stepping up the productive trade-economic relations between representatives of the two countries’ business circles and boosting the tourism sector, given the development of the “Avaza” National Tourist Zone on the Caspian coast. At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed mutual confidence that the friendly and good-neighborly ties between Turkmenistan and Astrakhan Region would strengthen fostering the development of relations between the two nations.