A visit of the Government delegation of Turkmenistan to Afghanistan

On October 30-31, 2021, the Turkmen delegation headed by the Deputy
Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov was on a working visit in Afghanistan.
Within the framework of the visit to Kabul, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov held a number of meetings
with high-ranking officials of Afghanistan.
In particular, Vice-Premier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Turkmenistan R.Meredov had a meeting with the Chairman of the
Government of Afghanistan Mohammad Hasan Akhund.
R.Meredov having noted that Turkmen side expresses its readiness to
close cooperation and constructive dialogue with the new state structures
of Afghanistan, underlined that Turkmenistan, as neighboring state is
deeply interested in political stability and security of the afghan people,
resolving contradictions by peaceful, political-diplomatic means.
The parties paid special attention to activation of the pace of joint
projects in key spheres. In this regard, the sides expressed readiness of
the two countries to further cooperation in promoting the construction of
the projects Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI)
transnational gas pipeline, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan
(TAP) high-voltage power transmission line and railroad lines from
Turkmenistan to some provinces of Afghanistan.
The meeting on economic issues headed by Vice-Premier, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R.Meredov and Deputy Chairman of
the Government of Afghanistan Abdul Salam Hanafi was attended by
the ministers of economy, finance, public works, mines and petroleum,
energy and water, communications, commerce and industry, information
and culture of Afghanistan, as well as the head of «Da Afghanistan
Brishna Sherkat» company.

During the meeting, a wide range of issues of political and economic
interaction between the two countries was discussed. In particular, the
issue of intensifying the implementation of joint projects, ensuring their
security, as well as expanding the cooperation of official and business
circles of the two countries through the activation of bilateral meetings
at various levels was touched upon.
“We want as soon as possible to launch national projects between the
two countries, because for their implementation all the necessary
conditions including security, have been created”, said the Deputy
Chairman of the Government of Afghanistan.
During the talks with the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov discussed the priority issues of the
bilateral agenda in the political-diplomatic and humanitarian
collaboration. The Turkmen side invited the Government delegation of
Afghanistan to visit Turkmenistan.
The Turkmen-Afghan meeting on security issues, headed by Rashid
Meredov and Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, was attended by the
ministers of defense, internal affairs and heads of the national security
and border services of Afghanistan, as well as the heads of the relevant
ministries of Turkmenistan.
During the constructive talks, the need to continue efforts to ensure and
strengthen security, stability and border cooperation was noted. In this
regard, the Afghan side stated that the security of the common brotherly
border, as well as all joint promising economic projects will be ensured.
"We will spare no effort to ensure the security of infrastructure and
economic projects between the two countries", Mullah Yaqoob said.
Following the negotiations, a press-conference of the Ministers of
Foreign Affairs R.Meredov and A.Muttaqi has been held. The heads of
the MFAs having stated the positive and constructive character of the
current dialogue summarized the results of Turkmen-Afghan

negotiations aimed at expansion of effective partnership on priority
directions.