Sunday, February 02, 2020
Kabul, (BNA) President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani received Turkmen Foreign Minister and his accompanied delegation here at the presidential palace in Kabul yesterday, a statement said.
Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov convoyed Turkmenistan President’s greetings to President Ghani, adding President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was willing enhanced bilateral and economic ties with Afghanistan, the statement from the presidential press office said.
Welcoming Turkmen FM and his accompanied delegation, President Ghani called Afghanistan as their second home and asked the neighboring country’s visiting official to also pass Afghans greetings to Turkmen leaders.
Thanking Turkmenistan’s cooperation with Afghanistan, the president congratulated the visiting delegation of their 25th independence anniversary.
“TAPI is not only a pipeline but is indeed an economic corridor for Afghanistan and the region. This project is indeed a golden opportunity for economic development in the region as well as would bring further opportunities,” the president said, as quoted in the statement. The president also added that the two countries needed to improve cooperation in areas of mining, and Afghanistan was keen to utilize Turkmenistan’s experiences in this regard.
The president went on saying that electricity project (TUTAP) and fiber optic lines that would begin from Turkmenistan, would be extended to Pakistan via Afghanistan which would bring regional connectivity and would also connect the region with Europe, the statement added.
Emphasizing on increasing transit and trade ties between the two countries, the president said Afghanistan was ready to cooperate in areas of security with the neighboring country, as according to him the Afghan border forces have further been secured in areas bordering Turkmenistan.
Hinting to cultural cooperation between the two neighbors, President Ghani aske Turkmen’s cooperation in providing of educational opportunities for Turkmen citizens of Afghanistan.
Foreign minister of Turkmenistan assured his country’s full support to Afghanistan, adding the two countries’ delegation to work on project discussed during the meeting, the statement added.
