The National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, met with the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey, Yaşar Güler, on June 26.

Expressing sincere gratitude for the time allocated, the guest conveyed warm greetings from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on behalf of Hero of the Nation to Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, noting Turkey's strong commitment to strengthening relations with fraternal Turkmenistan, which pursues a foreign policy based on principles of permanent neutrality.

Conveying reciprocal best wishes to the senior leadership of the Republic of Turkey, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, expressed confidence that the visit of the Minister of Defense of the friendly country and the negotiations held with Turkmen colleagues would provide impetus for expanding and strengthening bilateral ties.

During the meeting, the guest highlighted the significant contribution of the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan to the development of productive interstate dialogue, both bilaterally and within multilateral formats, including regional and international organizations such as TURKSOY. In this context, the participation of Hero of the Nation, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, in the Third Antalya Diplomatic Forum held in March of this year was underscored. Special emphasis was placed on the relevance of initiatives voiced by the National Leader of the Turkmen people aimed at uniting efforts to address pressing contemporary issues and achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

Yaşar Güler also noted that a matter of particular pride for the entire Turkish nation and a vivid symbol of the unbreakable bonds of friendship and brotherhood between our countries was the conferment by the Decree of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of the title "Hormatly il ýaşulusy" of Turkmenistan upon President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Thanking for the kind words, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty highlighted that Turkey is the closest fraternal state with which Turkmenistan's interaction holds a long-term, strategic character. In this context, it was emphasized that today there is accumulated rich experience of bilateral cooperation. Centuries-old relationships, tested by time and deeply rooted in history, serve as a solid foundation for successfully addressing priority tasks in political, economic, and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

As emphasized by the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Turkey is a significant trade and economic partner of our country. An example of this is the active involvement of Turkish companies and businessmen in key sectors of the Turkmen economy. Considering the vast opportunities of both countries, the National Leader of the Turkmen people and the guest expressed the need to elevate cooperation in this sphere to a qualitatively new level.

Among the priority areas, the fuel and energy complex, energy, and transport-communication sector were identified. It was noted that extensive prospects for joint work are opened by the implementation of the largest and regionally significant projects initiated by our country, including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan electricity transmission line.

During the meeting, Hero of the Nation emphasized that neutral Turkmenistan, based on the Military Doctrine strictly of a defensive nature, carries out comprehensive work to ensure peace and prosperity. Special attention is given to further modernization of the material-technical base of the National Army and raising the combat readiness level of officers and soldiers.

Turkey is one of the leading countries in the defense industry. Cooperation in the military field between our countries has been successfully developing for many years. In this regard, discussions focused on opportunities for enhancing cooperation in this direction. In this context, the National Leader of the Turkmen people confirmed readiness to consider proposals from the Turkish side.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Hero of the Nation, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and the Minister of National Defense of Turkey reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of both states to enhance fruitful cooperation for the benefit of both peoples.

Source: State news agency