BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

26/01/2010

Belarus, Turkmenistan sign set of documents on bilateral cooperation

MINSK, January 25 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarus and Turkmenistan have signed a set of nine documents on bilateral cooperation.

A joint communique was signed after the talks between the Belarusian and Turkmenistani presidents, Alexander Lukashenko and Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, in Minsk on Monday.

In particular, the document emphasised that relations between the two countries are entering a qualitatively new phase owing to joint efforts of the two sides, their leaders said in the communique.

According to the document, the Monday talks were focused on the stepping up of trade and economic interaction, and strengthening of new fields of bilateral cooperation.

"Construction of a mining and concentrating mill at the Garlyk potash fertilizer field is a joint project that lays the solid groundwork for long-term strategic partnership between Belarus and Turkmenistan," the presidents said in the document.

The two heads of state also confirmed their interest in further increasing mutual supplies of textile and machine-building products, as well as in the development of fruitful energy cooperation.

The two parties signed an agreement on the setting up of an intergovernmental economic cooperation commission.

Berdymukhammedov and Lukashenko agreed to supply Belarusian agricultural and road machinery, and municipal transport to Turkmenistan. They signed accords on military and military-technical interaction, on the mutual recognition of educational certificates, on the creation of trade houses, and on cooperation between the two chambers of commerce and industry.

The two presidents also signed a framework agreement on the additional geological exploration and development of the Karabilskoye potash deposit.

During the talks Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Minsk and Ashgabat have close or identical stances on international energy cooperation.

"I would like to point specifically to Turkmenistan's active position regarding the promotion of its own vision for resolving pressing issues of international energy cooperation," Lukashenko said.

According to him, "this lays the groundwork for closer interaction both in the bilateral format and within the framework of international forums."

"We [Belarus] proceed from the fact that the development of interaction on the global energy market should take into account the interests of all of its participants - exporters, importers and transit countries," the Belarusian president said.

"In addition, it is of big importance to have respect for the long-term interests of the partners," Lukashenko said.

"A quest for short-term benefits may pass a wet sponge over the previous scrupulous efforts to develop confidential relations," the Belarusian president said.

Berdymukhammedov, in turn, said that Turkmenistan had a good potential for the expansion of fuel and energy cooperation with Belarus.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14754602&PageNum=0


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