Today President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has received minister of foreign affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who has arrived in Turkmenistan.

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet S.Berdimuhamedov also took part in the meeting.

Having expressed his sincere gratitude for time found for audience, the visitor conveyed to the head of the state warm greetings and best regards from the top management of his country. Invariable adherence of Pakistan to traditionally friendship with Turkmenistan was thus confirmed, whose peace-loving policy which is based on the status of permanent neutrality and being an effective factor of maintenance of peace and stability in the region, creates ample opportunities for fruitful cooperation answering to the purposes of universal well-being.

Having thanked for his kind words and having conveyed reciprocal warm greetings to the President and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the leader of the nation with satisfaction ascertained a high level and dynamic character of the interstate dialogue successfully developing both in bilateral and multilateral formats.

During the meeting the head of the state and his guest discussed priority aspects of Turkmen-Pakistan partnership in the context of earlier reached agreements and also with the account of available prospects for activization of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, contacts in the area of business structures.

Among priority directions of cooperation spheres of energy, transport-communications, a number of other branches were outlined. Here a special significance was given to implementation of joint infrastructural projects on construction of transnational gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI, the laying of transmission lines and optic-fibre communication via the route Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP). These large scale projects urged to make positive impact on economic development of the region, to promote its integration into the modern world economic system, to the solution of issues of social and humanitarian character, consolidation of peace and stability.

Throughout conversation the exchange of opinions on pressing issues of the regional and global agenda took place. In this context mutual intention of the parties to strengthen established constructive cooperation in the format of the authoritative international organisations, including the United Nations, ECO, OIC and other structures was confirmed.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan underlined that today Turkmenistan shows impressing achievements in the field of sports. The silver medal of the XXXII Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, won in competitions in weightlifting among women also attests to it, the guest said, having congratulated Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet, and honoured coach of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov on this remarkable success.

Sharing impressions on the Turkmen capital, the guest underlined that white marble coated Ashkhabad, submitting the beauty, accomplishment and comfort, is a visible symbol of achievements and successes of Turkmenistan, in this year marking the 30^th anniversary of state independence.

At the end of the meeting President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed confidence that fruitful interstate relations will be developed successfully henceforth on the basis of mutual good will, mutual understanding and trust, being filled with new concrete tasks.