President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Italy to Turkmenistan, Mr. Marco Mancini, who is completing his diplomatic mission in our country. The diplomat emphasized that strengthening the bonds of friendship, and developing a long-term full-scale partnership with Turkmenistan, which consistently pursues the policy of peace, creation and progress, fully meets the foreign policy strategy of Italy and the interests of the EU countries as a whole. According to Mr. Marco Mancini, it was a great honor for him to work in our country and, although he is completing his diplomatic mission, he will continue to make all his efforts and experience to learn more about Turkmenistan both in Italy and other countries of Europe. Noting with satisfaction the positive and productive Turkmen-Italian intergovernmental dialogue, President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov thanked the ambassador for his significant personal contribution to strengthening of bilateral relations. Turkmenistan, which is pursuing the peace-loving foreign policy, will continue to pay special attention to development of cooperation with Italy, including within the framework of the constructive dialogue that has been established with the European Union for recent years, as well as other major international organizations and agencies, the head of state said. During the meeting, the President of Turkmenistan and the Italian diplomat exchanged views on the state and prospects of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Italy on a bilateral and multilateral basis. The key areas identified for expanding interstate partnership were the fuel-energy, trade and economic sectors, the transport and communications complex, agriculture and other industries. The emphasis was made on strengthening and deepening interstate relations in the humanitarian sphere, in particular, science, culture, education, healthcare, and tourist trade.