Dear media representatives,

I would like to once again cordially welcome the President of Turkmenistan, Honorable Serdar Gurbangulyevich Berdimuhamedow, to the Republic of Tajikistan on his first state visit.

I consider this visit a significant event in the thirtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states.

We have just adopted a Declaration and raised relations between our countries to the level of deepened strategic partnership.

This historic decision meets the fundamental interests of our peoples and is one of the important factors in the development and stability of the region.

It is gratifying that on the eve and within the framework of the visit, various events were held in the capital of our country — in the city of Dushanbe.

This is a business forum, an exhibition of products and a meeting of representatives of the scientific intelligentsia of the two countries.

They gave a special positive background to today’s talks, as a result of which a solid package of bilateral documents was signed.

Dear friends,

Our negotiations with respected Serdar Gurbangulyevich were held in a constructive and trusting atmosphere.

We noted the importance of maintaining a regular political dialogue at all levels.

We also welcomed the intensification of inter-parliamentary ties in recent years.

We stressed the importance of further active development of trade and economic ties.

The governments of our countries will work out and submit appropriate proposals for a qualitative rise in economic ties.

The documents signed today on the further enhancement of trade and economic ties will undoubtedly contribute to the solution of this problem.

We agreed to improve the efficiency of the work of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

During the negotiations, special attention was paid to industrial cooperation.

Today, a Roadmap was adopted to strengthen cooperation in the field of agriculture for the period up to 2025. We are sure that it will serve as a good basis for the development of this area of cooperation.

We noted the active development of cooperation in the field of transport.

The volume of cargo transportation by road and rail across the territory of our countries will be increased.

To this end, a Joint Program of Measures (or «Roadmap») has been adopted today to further increase freight traffic and enhance multimodal transportation.

We focused on the need for comprehensive use of the potential of interregional cooperation.

I am sure that the documents adopted today in this area contribute to the implementation of mutual visits, the establishment of business contacts and the holding of cultural and humanitarian events between the regions of our countries.

Specific focus was made on the cultural and humanitarian sphere, in particular science and education.

Today, in a solemn atmosphere, with Honorable Serdar Gurbangulyevich, we launched the construction works of a secondary school named after Makhtumkuli in the Dusti district of the Khatlon Province of Tajikistan.

This school will be built by the Turkmen side and will become a bright symbol of friendship between our fraternal peoples.

We discussed in detail issues of regional security.

We reaffirmed our interest in strengthening cooperation in countering new challenges and threats to security.

We agreed to intensify interaction between our special services.

We exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan.

It was emphasized that we, as close neighbors, are sincerely interested in establishing long-term peace and stability in this country.

It was pointed out that the Tajik-Turkmen cooperation within the framework of international and regional organizations is developing in a constructive way.

We noted the readiness of our countries to hold the summits of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea in Dushanbe in September this year at a high substantive level.

We are looking forward to Honorable Serdar Gurbangulyevich’s participation in these events in Tajikistan in the autumn.

The Tajik side highly appreciates the results of the talks with the President of Turkmenistan, which open a new page in the Tajik-Turkmen strategic partnership.

And now, it is with great pleasure that I give the floor to the distinguished President of Turkmenistan.