Oriented on making people closer

The National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov met with Prince Albert II during his visit to the Principality of Monaco on January 20.

Before the meeting, a photo ceremony of the high guest with Albert II and Princess Stephanie was held in the Princely Palace.

Having greeted the National Leader of the Turkmen People and expressed gratitude for the accepted invitation to visit Monaco, Prince Albert II noted the proactive role of Turkmenistan in implementing the global agenda. Having discussed the possibilities of cooperation and current aspects of international politics, the parties confirmed their commitment to expanding constructive partnership.

During the meeting in a narrow format, issues of intensifying humanitarian dialogue and deepening relations in the fields of culture, sports and tourism, including cooperation in the field of circus arts, were also discussed. This was reported by the TDH news agency.

The meeting then continued in an expanded format, with the participation of delegations from both countries. After expressing gratitude for the invitation to visit Monaco and for the hospitality and warm welcome extended to the Turkmen delegation, the National Leader of the Turkmen people conveyed greetings from President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to Prince Albert II.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that he fondly recalled his meeting with Albert II at the World Water Forum in the Republic of Korea in April 2015. At that time, issues of bilateral cooperation and prospects for its expansion were discussed. The results of that meeting led to the decision to establish diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the Principality of Monaco in August 2015.

Expressing gratitude to the Principality of Monaco for its continued support of Turkmenistan's initiatives put forward on the UN platform over the years, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty emphasized that this demonstrates the similarity of the parties' positions on key issues of the global agenda.

In this regard, emphasis was placed on the UN General Assembly resolution proclaiming 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust at Turkmenistan's initiative. A series of major and representative international forums are planned to promote the establishment of peaceful principles, factors of tension reduction, as well as responsible and constructive approaches in addressing priority tasks in global politics. The National Leader of the Turkmen people invited Prince Albert II to participate in the upcoming forum in Ashgabat dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust.

The Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty emphasized that he would be very pleased to see Prince Albert II among the dear and honored guests of the forum dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that environmental protection is also among the issues of bilateral cooperation. With the launch of Monaco's "green" initiative, the Prince Albert II Foundation has done a great deal to protect the hydrosphere, in particular, the oceans and biodiversity. In this context, the National Leader of the Turkmen people expressed Turkmenistan's readiness to explore opportunities for cooperation in the field of the climate agenda.

The cultural and humanitarian sphere could become another area of cooperation. The National Leader of the Turkmen people noted the potential for establishing a partnership between the Princess Grace Foundation and the Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Care named after Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty stated the existence of significant potential for cooperation in business, tourism, and finance. In this regard, it was proposed to explore the possibilities of developing forms of partnership and business relations.

Another area for joint efforts is outer space: ten years ago, the Principality of Monaco offered an orbital position for the “TurkmenÄlem 52°E” artificial satellite. Noting that the term of the target agreement expires in 2030, the National Leader of the Turkmen people confirmed readiness of Turkmenistan to discuss the prospects for continued cooperation.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov reported that work is currently underway on the construction of Turkmenistan's second artificial satellite, and expressed interest in exploring the prospects for joint work on launching this spacecraft into space.

It was noted that during these days, the “Galkynyş” national equestrian games group participated in the International Circus Festival in Monte Carlo. In this context, our country's readiness to significantly expand dialogue in the field of culture, including in new areas, was expressed.

Among promising areas, the National Leader of the Turkmen people identified sports. Ashgabat has been declared the “City of New Sports Opportunities of the Commonwealth”, and Monaco has been awarded the honorary title of World Sports Capital 2025. In this regard, it was proposed to activate mechanisms for building the potential and practical achievements of the two countries in order to consolidate efforts in such an important area. Noting the great opportunities for bilateral partnership, Prince Albert II reaffirmed Monaco's commitment to its expansion in new directions.

At the end of the expanded meeting, a gift exchange ceremony took place. Symbolically marking the beginning of a new stage of humanitarian dialogue, it demonstrated the interest of the parties in each other's cultural heritage, traditions and customs.

Later, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty visited the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, after which he departed to Nice International Airport. Here, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov met with members of the “Galkynysh” national equestrian games group, which was awarded the Gold Award and other prizes of the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival.

ORIENT

Photo: tdh.gov.tm