Mintimer Shaimiev: "Joint initiatives of Tatarstan and Turkmenistan will be successful"

On June 28th, in Kazan Kremlin President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev met with President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

On the part of Turkmenistan the meeting in Kazan Kremlin was attended by representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of state corporations, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary representative of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation Mr.Khalnazar Agakhanov. On the part of Tatarstan – RT Prime-minister Mr.Rustem Minnekhanov, RT first deputy Prime-minister Mr.Boris Pavlov, RT deputy Prime-minister– minister of culture Ms.Zilya Valiyeva, State advisor to the Tatarstan President on international issues – director of the department of foreign affairs of the President of Tatarstan Mr.Timur Akulov.

"We know of the strong sides of Turkmenistan, familiar with the way you grow, happy to see your successes and potential for further growth of international cooperation of your country. We believe our joint initiatives will be successful", - underlined Mintimer Shaimiev at the meeting.

He stated that Tatarstan and Turkmenistan natural resources processing sectors are very similar. Successful cooperation in petro-chemistry and machine building industries should be increased even further. Tatarstan is open to consider mutually beneficial cooperation initiatives.

Head of the Republic underlined brotherly relationships between Turkmen and Tatar people, their historic, cultural and linguistic similarities, sharing same religious background.

Mintimer Shaimiev stresses the need for further increase in cooperation in scientific and cultural fields. Tatarstan higher education establishments have real potential for educating student-aged youth coming from Turkmenistan in large numbers. Turkmen youth feels welcome in Tatarstan, finds good living and working conditions.

Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov congratulated Mintimer Shaimiev on occasion of Kazan winning the right to host 2013 Universiade. In his words, Turkmenistan’s cooperation with Russia and its regions in last years started growing stronger. Relations between Turkmenistan and Tatarstan are an example of such beneficial trade-economic and cultural cooperation.

"Tatarstan delegation visit to Turkmenistan in January 2008, headed by RT Prime-minister Rustam Minnekhanov brought significant results. Important agreements were signed with "KAMAZ" and "Tatneft" companies", - underlined the President of Turkmenistan.

He sees potential for further growing cooperation between Turkmenistan and Tatarstan in the fields of machine-building, oil extraction, oil processing, petro-chemistry, agriculture, science, education and healthcare. One of the potentially attractive projects can be participation in the development of national tourist zone Alaza on the Capian shore. More than 50 non-Turkmen firms and companies already participate in the project.

Discussion in the course of the meeting included issues of increasing cooperation between Republics of Tatarstan and Turkmenistan in the fields of further growth of trade-economic relations, educational, cultural, student and tourist exchange, archeological studies.

The Kazan Kremlin meeting between the governments of Tatarstan and Turkmenistan was concluded by the ceremony of signing an agreement on cooperation in trade-economic relations, cooperation in the fields of scientific research, technology and cultural exchange. Oil and gas processing, petro-chemistry and extraction of natural bitumen oils was stressed as priority field of cooperation.

At the end of the ceremony heads of Turkmenistan and Tatarstan made a joint statement on the results of the Kremlin meeting for the representatives of mass media.