Events

Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko meets with President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov

The meeting was held as part of the Federation Council Speaker’s working visit to Turkmenistan.


During a working visit of the Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko to Turkmenistan, she had a meeting with the country’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

Valentina Matvienko congratulated the president on his election to the office earlier this year. She conveyed greetings from the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and confirmed his invitation to pay a visit to Russia.

The Federation Council Speaker noted that the Russian delegation’s visit to Turkmenistan in the year marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations was a significant event.

According to Ms Matvienko, bilateral relations were progressing in all spheres, based on mutual respect and benefit, as well as traditionally friendly ties. “Our relations are reaching the level of strategic partnership, with contacts maintained at all levels,” she said.

The Speaker noted that 2021 saw a small reduction in bilateral trade, but it grew 74 percent in January and February of 2022.

Russian regions were showing great interest in expanding cooperation.

“We fully support this process,” Valentina Matvienko said, adding that Russian companies were deeply interested in working on the Turkmenistan market.

The Speaker also stressed the importance of cooperation in culture, education, and science, as well as on humanitarian affairs. She said that many students from Turkmenistan were studying in Russia.

Valentina Matvienko noted the high level at which the first Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the countries of Central Asia and the Russian Federation was organised in Ashgabat. According to her, the initiative to make this a regular event was supported by its secretariat in Ashgabat.

“The Central Asian region is very promising. It is a transport and energy bridge connecting East and West, South and North. And the parliamentary dimension can play an important role here,” the Federation Council Speaker said.

Valentina Matvienko went on to emphasise that Russia appreciated the neutral status of Turkmenistan and its independent foreign policy. “This adds weight and authority to Turkmenistan on the world stage, and brings peace and stability to the region,” she pointed out.

During the conversation, Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted that over the 30 years that passed since the establishment of diplomatic ties, relations between the two countries had been successfully developing in various fields. He also spoke about the importance of further developing inter-parliamentary ties.