President of Turkmenistan Receives U.S. Assistant Secretary of State
President Berdymukhamedov received the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, who praised Turkmenistan's international initiatives to address global challenges. He confirmed the willingness of the United States to continue to make joint efforts with Turkmenistan to ensure stability, security, and prosperity in the region. Blake also expressed the appreciation of the United States for the important support that Turkmenistan is providing to Afghanistan and to broader regional efforts to forge regional integration through projects such as the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline. Berdymukhamedov and Blake discussed how the United States and Turkmenistan can continue to expand trade.
According the Blake, he, “had a good discussion on human rights issues, some of the new laws that have been passed here in Turkmenistan, as well as on educational and exchange programs that are of great importance.” Berdymukhamedov reaffirmed Turkmenistan's readiness to further promote political, economic and cultural dialogue with the US, and said Turkmenistan is ready to provide its political space for inter-Afghan peace dialog under the auspices of the UN. The US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkmenistan Robert E. Patterson also attended the meeting.
Sources: US Embassy, Turkmenistan.ru, rosbalt.ru
Procedure of Foreign Grant State Registration Approved in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan has approved a procedure for state registration as well as a single state register, for projects and programs of free technical, financial and humanitarian assistance, as well as grants. Turkmenistan is to establish a State Commission to coordinate and control the activity in the field, according to an order from President Berdymukhamedov.
Source: trend.az
Fourth Meeting of Intergovernmental Turkmen-Indian Commission Held in New Delhi
Turkmenistan’s delegation to the 4th meeting of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Indian Commission for trade, economic, scientific and technological cooperation, was led by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. The Commission was held in New Delhi (India) on 21-22 January attended.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Turkmen-British cooperation discussed at Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan
A delegation led by Charles Hendry, Member of the UK Parliament, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, held talks at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the ministry’s press service said. The talks covered the possibility of holding the V Asian Indoor Games and Martial Arts in Ashgabat in 2017 noting that Turkmenistan has worked with “John Tibbs Associates”, “Loughborough College” and a number of other British institutions to organize sporting events.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Turkmenistan to Start Preparations for WTO Accession
Speaking at a government meeting, President Berdymukhamedov stressed the need to start negotiations with the World Trade Organization on Turkmenistan’s accession to the WTO and instructed Deputy Prime Minister Annamuhamet Gochiev, supervising the economy and finance, to review the requirements for the application process, prepare a proposal for the establishment of a special government commission, and start negotiations with the WTO on Turkmenistan’s accession.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Turkmenistan and Malaysia sign Memorandum on Cooperation in Higher Education
The Turkmen State Institute of Oil and Gas (TSIOG), Petronas Carigali (Turkmenistan) Sdn. Bhd. and Institute of Technology PETRONAS Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding, providing for cooperation in such areas as preparation of training programs for the TSIOG, exchange of academic staff and students, hands-on training and work practice for students, exchange of experience in university-administration, job fairs for students, professional development of academic staff, including through implementation of a special internship programs, and others.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Meeting of Turkmenistan-UN joint working group
Turkmenistan-UN Joint Working Group held a meeting at Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry to develop a plan of national consultations and define the global goals and targets for the period after 2015, reported Turkmenistan’s Ministry press service. The UN Resident Coordinator in Ashgabat, Jacinta Barrins, stressed that the UN views Turkmenistan as a responsible strategic partner and important player in many international processes. She also said that the UN seeks to build productive mutual cooperation.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Freedom House Laments Eurasian Declines, 'Return Of Iron Fist' In Russia
The non-Baltic former Soviet Union now rivals the Middle East as one of the most politically and socially repressive regions in the world, according to the latest edition of «Freedom in the World,» the annual report compiled by U.S.-based rights watchdog Freedom House. Tajikistan and Kazakhstan fared only slightly better than Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, whose abysmal rights records kept them at the very bottom of Freedom House's list, alongside Syria, Somalia, and North Korea. Of the 47 countries designated as Not Free, nine have been given the survey's lowest possible rating of 7 for both political rights and civil liberties: Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Sources: freedomhouse.org, rferl.pr
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