ASHGABAT: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov have agreed to make serious efforts for early implementation of trans-regional TAPI gas pipeline project.
Addressing a joint press conference, Premier Nawaz Sharif termed the project a game changer and a win-win situation for all stakeholders. “We stressed the need for fast-track progress on trans-regional energy projects, including TAPI, to advance the goal of greater regional integration,” said Sharif.
The two leaders who earlier held one-on-one and delegation-level talks told the media that during the wide-ranging consultations on the whole range of bilateral relations, they discussed measures to counter the challenges that they face.
Prime Minister Sharif said Pakistan and Turkmenistan enjoy excellent bilateral relations in all fields, based on mutual respect, common faith and shared interests.
“Our relations are marked by cordiality and commonality of views on major regional and international issues,” he added.
The prime minister said the two brotherly countries had commonalities of views on a broad range of issues, including peace and stability, counterterrorism, menace of drugs, trade, economic cooperation, investments and regional cooperation.
He said Pakistan wishes to further enhance relations with Turkmenistan in all areas of cooperation, adding “we agreed on the need for regular high-level political exchanges between Pakistan and Turkmenistan.”
The prime minister said the two sides also agreed to promote bilateral trade, tourism and people-to-people contacts.
“It is in the interest of our two countries to make full use of endowed reservoir of human and material resources,” he added.
He expressed confidence that the signing of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) would help further strengthen Pakistan’s relations with Turkmenistan.
The prime minister said he and President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov had convergent views on the importance of cooperation between Pakistan and Turkmenistan at the multilateral forums, especially the UN, G-77, NAM, OIC and ECO. He said the two sides also exchanged views on reforms of the UN Security Council, which should be equitable and reflect aspirations of the entire UN membership, adding it should particularly take into account the interests of the smaller states.
The prime minister said he had extended felicitations on the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Declaration of Neutrality and reaffirmed Pakistan’s unflinching support to it for the visionary initiative of declaring permanent neutrality.
An agreement on Joint Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was signed by Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi and his Turkmen counterpart.
The MoU was signed between Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Turkmenistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI). Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir and head of TCCI inked the document on behalf of their respective countries.
Later, a joint communiqué was inked by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
