Pakistan values ties with Turkmenistan: President

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain Tuesday said that Pakistan attached great importance to its friendly relations with Turkmenistan and both countries supported each other at the international forums.

Talking to the Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said that TAPI was not only a gas pipeline project but also a trade and transit corridor for the entire region and its credit went to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. He underlined that Pakistan desired early implementation of this project.

He said that Pakistan would be pleased to participate in Ashgabat Agreement for regional connectivity. He welcomed Turkmenistan offer to export 1000MW of electricity to Pakistan and hoped that this project would materialised soon. He expected that the matters related to the transmission lines would be settled soon in bilateral talks between the two countries.

He underscored that the bilateral trade between the two countries was very low which needed to be increased. “In this regard, it is necessary that there should be frequent exchange of trade and industrialists delegation between the both countries”, he added. He highlighted that Pakistan and Turkmenistan could also cooperate in the fields of livestock, education, culture and science and technology in addition to energy. He also stressed the need for starting joint ventures between the two countries.

Foreign minister for Turkmenistan delivered a special message from the president of Turkmenistan to President Mamnoon Hussain and invited the president to the inaugural ceremony of TAPI gas pipeline project. He said that Turkmenistan had completed the work on the transmission line and many countries would benefit from this project.