Türkiye and Turkmenistan, two long-standing allies, have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, Turkmenistan’s Deputy Cabinet Chair Nökergulı Ataguliyev announced on Tuesday.
High-Level Meetings to Boost Strategic Partnership
Ataguliyev made the remarks during a joint press conference with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz at Ankara’s Presidential Complex, following the latest Intergovernmental Commission Meeting.
A high-ranking Turkmen delegation, led by Parliament Speaker Dünyagözel Gulmanowa, is currently in Ankara for talks with Turkish officials. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also held a closed-door meeting with Gulmanowa, alongside Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, further solidifying diplomatic engagement.
During the discussions, Turkish and Turkmen committees explored avenues to deepen cooperation in key industries, including:
- Transportation and logistics
- Urban planning and construction
- Water resource management
- Energy sector collaboration
- Sports and cultural exchanges
“One Nation, Two States” – A Longstanding Bond
Highlighting the deep-rooted ties between the two nations, Ataguliyev emphasized that Turkmenistan and Türkiye share a millennium-old brotherhood, continuously strengthened by mutual initiatives at the highest levels.
Echoing this sentiment, Turkish Parliament Speaker Kurtulmuş stated:
“Türkiye and Turkmenistan work under the principle of ‘One Nation, Two States.'”
He also underscored the importance of inter-parliamentary diplomacy, stressing that both nations are committed to strengthening ties through friendship groups and enhanced cooperation among young and female parliamentarians.
“With today’s visit, we take another step toward advancing Türkiye-Turkmenistan relations, utilizing all available parliamentary diplomacy channels,” Kurtulmuş added.
Expanding Trade Relations: A $5 Billion Target
Despite their historically strong relations, trade between Türkiye and Turkmenistan remains below its potential, with bilateral trade currently standing at $1.2 billion.
Kurtulmuş stressed that both nations have set a new economic goal:
“The leaders of both countries aim to increase bilateral trade to $5 billion.”
Turkmenistan-Türkiye Energy Agreement Moves Forward
In parallel with diplomatic efforts, Türkiye is advancing a major energy deal with Turkmenistan, focusing on natural gas supply.
Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on Tuesday that Türkiye is in final negotiations to extend a five-year gas supply agreement with Turkmenistan. The deal is expected to be finalized within 2024.
This follows an earlier agreement signed this month between Türkiye’s state-owned pipeline operator BOTAS and Turkmenistan’s Turkmengaz, facilitating Turkmen natural gas imports to Türkiye.
The new gas flow arrangement, set to commence on March 1, will see 1.3 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas transported via Iran.