Turkmenistan International Relations

Turkmen President Received General Secretary of Administration of the President of Turkey
President Berdymukhamedov received General Secretary of the Administration of the Turkish President, Mustafa Esen, who came to Ashgabat on an official visit. Turkish Ambassador to Turkmensitan, Shevki Mutevellioglu, also took part in the meeting. During the talks Berdymukhamedov and his guests exchanged views on future cooperation and noted a significant potential for developing partnership in such areas as trade, economy, culture and in the humanitarian sector. They noted that an exhibition of Turkish export goods underway in Ashgabat will solidify business contacts between the two countries.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru

 Turkmenistan Foreign Ministry Hosted Turkmen-Turkish Political Consultations
Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry held consultations with a Turkish delegation, headed by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Fatih Ceylan. According to the Turkmenistan Foreign Ministry press service, representatives of Turkmenistan and Turkey confirmed their interest in partnership and expanding ties. They paid particular attention to developing future cooperation between the respective foreign ministries and participation in the activities of international organizations.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru 

Turkmen Airplane Arrested in Turkey with Ton of Gold Abroad
A Turkmenistan Airlines airplane was held at Istanbul International Airport on February 22, carrying more than one ton of allegedly unregistered gold bars, Gundogar news agency reported, citing Turkey’s Aksham newspaper. The owner of the cargo was Turkish construction company Polimeks, which has been working in Turkmenistan for many years. The company allegedly attempted to conceal the gold from customs and the cargo’s documentation claimed that it consisted of bath and toilet supplies. On February 24, Polimeks issued a press release, saying that it made a mistake while going through customs, and that the gold was “meant to be used for paying for construction materials in countries where international wire transfers are not accepted due to embargo provisions.”
Source: gundogar.org  

Turkmen Citizens Travel to Turkey Seeking Employment
Turkmen migrant workers in Turkey have a very tough life, but are most afraid of being sent back to Turkmenistan, said one migrant worker in an interview with Deutsche Welle on conditions of anonymity. According to the migrant worker, there are now about 300,000 Turkmen migrant workers in Turkey, most of whom are working there illegally. Turkmen citizens need an entrance visa to enter Turkey, and are allowed to work in Turkey for up to six months without a work permit. Often workers stay beyond this six month term, and without legal status; they have no rights and live in constant fear of police inspections and possible extradition, said the migrant worker. Despite these conditions, the interviewee noted that almost nobody wants to return to Turkmenistan, mainly because there is no work there.

According to News Briefing Central Asia (Central Asian informational project of the British Institute for War and Peace Reporting), which consulted a source at the Turkmenistan Migration Service, during the ten month period from January to October 2012, more than 150,000 people left Turkmenistan.
Source: gundogar.org 

Yanukovich: We Should Not Overestimate Gas Cooperation with Turkmenistan
During the Ukrainian President’s recent visit to Ashgabat for talks with the Turkmen President, the Ukrainian company Naftogaz and Turkmengaz signed a memorandum of understanding, affirming their intent to develop cooperation and resume supplies of Turkmen gas to Ukraine. “We shall seek all possible ways to diversify energy supplies to Ukraine. And Turkmenistan is one of the potential sources. However, today I would not overestimate possibilities of Turkmenistan and Ukraine,” said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich in the TV program “A Talk with the Country,” adding that “the Caspian Basin is a very complicated region,” and, “little can depend on Kiev,” there.
Source: gundogar.org  

Turkmenistan's Foreign Ministry Hosted Meeting with Red Cross Committee
Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry met with Ihtiyar Aslanov, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Central Asia to discuss humanitarian issues.
Source: Turkmenistan.gov.tm  

Berlin to Host Third Turkmen-German Medical Forum
Turkmenistan’s Minister of Healthcare and Medical Industry, Gurbanmammet Eliasov, will visit Berlin (Germany) on February 20 – 23 to take part in the third Turkmen-German Medical Forum.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru

Turkmen Delegation Visited London to Discuss Energy Cooperation
On February 20 – 22 a Turkmen delegation headed by Vice-Premier Baimurad Khojamukhammedov went to London to discuss cooperation in the oil and gas sector, according to the press service of the Turkmen President.Currently British companies including Petrofac, Dragon Oil, Burren Energy, Gaffney, Cline, & Associates, De La Rue and others operate in the Turkmen market.
Sources: azernews.az, Turkmenistan.ru   

Turkmenistan to Participate in Global Alliance of Civilizations Forum
In accordance with the Resolution of the President of Turkmenistan, Minister of Culture G. Mammedova left for Vienna, Austria to take part in the Global Alliance of Civilizations Forum held under the aegis of the United Nations on February 25 – March 1, 2013. The Forum will focus on intercultural and inter-confessional cooperation, media partnerships, and regional integration.
Source: Turkmenistan.gov.tm