Telephone conversation between President of Turkmenistan and President of Afghanistan

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani had a telephone conversation.

Warmly, fraternally welcoming each other, the heads of the two states expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to personally exchange views on the state and prospects of the Turkmen-Afghan dialogue, as well as discuss some aspects of international and regional politics of mutual interest.

The President of Turkmenistan congratulated the head of Afghanistan on the holy holiday of Oraza, wishing him good health and happiness, and peace, prosperity and prosperity to the people of the friendly country.

In turn, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan congratulated President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and all Turkmen citizens on the 25th anniversary of neutrality of Turkmenistan celebrated this year, as well as UN declaring the year of 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust on Turkmenistan’s initiative.

President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani expressed gratitude to his Turkmen colleague for the ongoing policy of peace and good neighborliness, the efforts made to strengthen cooperation in the region, to ensure favorable conditions for the development of constructive interstate partnership.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the foreign policy of Turkmenistan prioritized multifaceted relations with the states of the world, and, first of all, with its closest neighbors.

During the conversation, the leaders of the two states expressed mutual interest in intensifying political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties between the countries.

Presidents Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Mohammad Ashraf Ghani identified fuel and energy, transport and communications sectors as priority areas for partnership.

First of all, the construction of the transnational gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), which will provide long-term supplies of Turkmen natural gas to the largest countries in Southeast Asia.

Another significant project is the laying of a new interstate energy highway - a high-voltage power line and fiber-optic communication along the route Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan.

According to the parties, the favorable geographical position of the two countries is of great importance for the implementation of strategically significant infrastructure projects for the formation of new transit and transport corridors, including along the route Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, which will directly contribute to the expansion of trade and economic ties and an increase in the volume of trade between the countries of Central and South Asia and the states of Europe.

During the telephone conversation, the head of Turkmenistan supported the proposal of the Afghan leader to hold a trilateral online meeting between the Presidents of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan, the agenda of which will include the issues of increasing the efficiency of the transport corridor Lyapis-Lazuli.

Given the geoeconomic and geopolitical importance, special attention will also be paid to the further development of international transport corridors.

Expressing solidarity with the fraternal Afghan people to maintain peace, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan would continue providing all possible support and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

Discussing the issues on the international agenda, the heads of two states underlined the necessity to develop a coordinated approach to address the challenges of our time, one of which is the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which had a negative impact on international economic relations and the life of many states and peoples.

In this regard, the Turkmen leader noted that our country had put forward the idea of widespread use of the mechanisms of scientific diplomacy in the fight against such challenges as the spread of coronavirus on a global scale.

The President of Turkmenistan emphasized that the mechanisms of scientific diplomacy were the most effective vector of cooperation at present, therefore, the initiative put forward by the Turkmen side to create a Council of Medical Scientists could have a positive impact on the overall fight against coronavirus.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov underlined once again that Turkmenistan, successfully implementing the measures to combat the dangerous virus, fully supported the efforts of the international community and considered it necessary to intensify international cooperation aimed at developing coordinated actions, emphasizing that only due to the joint efforts positive results could be achieved.

Speaking about the necessity for coordinated sanitary-quarantine measures on the border between the two states, the Turkmen leader expressed the willingness of Turkmenistan to build special terminal facilities in the border railway stations, checkpoints and in some other places on the territory of Afghanistan - similar to those erected in our country - for the disinfection of railway transport and cargo, and also to equip these facilities as a humanitarian aid to the neighbouring state.

Thus, joint measures will allow achieving the high level of sanitary and epidemiological safety, creating conditions for the disinfection of vehicles and goods crossing the border.

Reaffirming the mutual aspiration to intensify the interstate dialogue, the heads of the two neighbouring countries expressed their commitment to long-term partnership.

In conclusion, Presidents Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Mohammad Ashraf Ghani once again expressed good wishes to each other and the peoples of the two countries.