Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Turkmenistan: president

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

The president said this while talking to Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

President Mamnoon stated that the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) 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.

The president underlined that Pakistan desired early implementation of this project, saying Pakistan would be pleased to participate in Ashgabat Agreement for regional connectivity.

The president welcomed Turkmenistan’s offer to export 1000 MW of electricity to Pakistan and hoped that this project will materialised soon. He expected that the matters related to the transmission lines will be settled soon in bilateral talks between the two countries.

The president underscored that the bilateral trade between the two countries is very low which needs 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 can 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.

The 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 Turkmenistan has completed the work on the transmission lines and many countries will benefit from this project.