KABUL: President Ashraf Ghani signed a number of bilateral agreements with his Turkmenistan counterpart, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, on Monday during a one-day official visit to Ashgabat. According to AKIPress, the two leaders adopted a program of cooperation for 2018 and 2019. Agreements signed included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the carpet industry, and agreement on international road transport, and an agreement on an international railroad checkpoint in Turkmenistan. The parties also signed the Regulation on Organization of Railroad Transport between Imamnazar and Akina Border Posts. In addition, an agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Energy and Water Management of Afghanistan to supply Turkmen energy to Badghis and Jawzjan province was also signed. During talks, the two presidents focused on regional security and bilateral cooperation. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. At present, construction work on Turkmenistan’s section of the TAPI line is under way. However, technical aspects of laying the gas pipeline in Afghanistan are being reviewed. The two leaders underlined the possibility of increasing the volume of the trade between the neighboring countries – and the diversification of trade – and stated that an intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation would deal with this.
The talks in Ashgabat confirmed the need for good-neighborly relations between the two countries, Turkmenistan’s readiness for close economic cooperation, and the joint implementation of large-scale transport and energy projects, reported AKIPress. In November, Ashgabat will host the 7th Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan. Negotiations on various aspects of long-term regional economic cooperation will continue at this forum.
