President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov addressed the participants of the National Industrial Exposition of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Ashgabat. “Let me congratulate you on opening of the National Industrial Exposition of the Republic of Uzbekistan that is held in Ashgabat for the first time. I am sure that the exhibition that vividly testifies to the further consolidation of the Turkmen-Uzbek relations will significantly contribute to enhancing the trade and economic cooperation and business relations between the two countries”, said the Turkmen leader in his address. “It is symbolic that the National Industrial Exposition of the Republic of Uzbekistan is held in the year under the motto “Turkmenistan is the heart of the Great Silk Road”. Our countries, which are located at the intersection of the Great Silk Road, even in the ancient times, played an important role in establishing and rapidly developing the international trade and economic relations. “The enhancement of the Turkmen-Uzbek cooperation proves that the trade and economic cooperation tested throughout the centuries based on the principles of friendship and fraternity has entered the qualitatively new level. “Our country has implemented the ambitious programme on developing the external commercial relations, enhancing of the positions achieved at the world markets and building up the mutually beneficial relations with foreign partners. “The efficiency of the foreign trade relations is directly related to the growth of the capacity and the active operation of the transport infrastructure. In compliance with the high international standards, the highways and railways have been laid, the bridges across the Amu Darya River have been erected, the international airports have been built that along with facilitating the development of the trade links in the Central Asian region open up opportunities for entering the European countries in the most optimal and economic ways, including through a major center of transit traffic in the region - the Turkmenbashi International Seaport. “The international initiatives put forward by Turkmenistan given today’s realities and requirements are aimed at strengthening and intensifying the mutually beneficial bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the states of the world. The ideas on the bringing the relations with countries along the Great Silk Road to the qualitatively new level are inextricably linked with the concept of building up the economic power of the Turkmen state. “I am confident that the large-scale exhibition of the commodity producers of the neighboring country, held in Ashgabat, will create great opportunities to showcase the achievements of Uzbek companies that occupy the leading positions in the relevant sectors and represent the large industrial centers of the friendly state. “Demonstrating the significant scientific and industrial potential, the exposition will contribute to further strengthening and building up the trade and economic partnership between the two neighboring countries, creating the new vectors of mutually beneficial contacts. “The international cooperation plays an important role in introducing new technologies and scientific achievements and modernizing the national economy to the national economic complex of Turkmenistan. In this context, the business relations between our countries enhance with the focus to the long-term perspective. “The National Industrial Exhibition of the Republic of Uzbekistan will contribute to attracting the goods and services to the consumer markets of our countries, expanding cooperation with Uzbek companies interested in joint activities. I am confident that the exhibition will give an important impetus to developing the bilateral trade and economic ties, bringing the partnership between Turkmen and Uzbek businessmen up to the new level, increasing the volume of trade turnover, establishing business contacts with companies and investors in Uzbekistan, as well as attracting foreign investment into the national economy”, underlined the President of Turkmenistan in his address.