Russian parliamentarians aim to strengthen ties with partners from Central Asian countries
Senators and experts reviewed the economic and humanitarian aspects of the Russian Federation's foreign policy in Central Asia at a meeting at the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.
Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Grigory Karasin held a meeting on the topic "The geopolitical importance of the Central Asian region in the modern system of international relations. Economic and humanitarian aspects of the Russian Federation's Foreign Policy in Central Asia".
The event was attended by representatives of Rossotrudnichestvo, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Ministry of Education, as well as experts from leading scientific institutes and research centers. The main report was delivered by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin, according to the website of the Federation Council.
Grigory Karasin noted that the priorities of cooperation in the "Central Asia plus Russia" format include multifaceted cooperation in all areas – security, economy and trade, agriculture and food supplies, transport, energy, ecology, health, humanitarian relations.
He recalled the first Interparliamentary Forum of Central Asian and Russian States held in Ashgabat last year, which was attended by a delegation of the Federation Council. "The forum showed the relevance of direct dialogue between parliamentarians from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia on the most pressing problems of the Central Asian region.
"We strive to provide significant support to the development of contacts at the regional level," the senator stressed.
According to Mikhail Galuzin, relations between Russia and Central Asian countries are traditionally based on deep economic ties, the history of common statehood, a common linguistic space, and cultural proximity.
"We see the main task in pursuing a balanced policy aimed at strengthening partnership, alliance and good neighborliness," Galuzin said.
The dynamics of the development of traditionally friendly Turkmen-Russian relations in a wide range of areas were also noted by Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.
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