16 January 2021 № 3 (472) PRESIDENTS OF TURKMENISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN OPEN NEW PARTNERSHIP MAINLINES Celebrations Marking the Commissioning of International Transport, Energy and Communications Lines In Turkmenabat, celebrations were held on the occasion of the commission- ing of a 30-kilometre railway between the Aqina and Andkhoy stations of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, a 153-kilometre power transmission line with a voltage of 500 kilovolts along the Kerki (Turkmenistan) – Shebergan (Afghani- stan) route and Imamnazar–Aqina and Serhetabat–Torghundi international fi- bre-optic lines between our countries. The ceremony was attended by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mo- hammad Ashraf Ghani. The implementation of joint projects once again convincingly demonstrated the commitment of the two states and fraternal peoples to the traditionally friendly, constructive dialogue and Turkmenistan’s active support for the socio- economic development of Afghanistan. The comprehensive approaches to the solution of the Afghan problem, pro- posed by the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, will undoubtedly serve to establishing peace and stability in the neighbouring country. This is re- flected in concrete actions to involve Afghanistan in energy, transport and eco- nomic ties between the region and the world. Undoubtedly, with the commissioning of the new mainlines of partnership, opportunities for the effective realisation of the transit and transport potential of the two states, their fruitful interaction in the energy and communication -sec tors and integration into the system of modern international economic relations will expand. In the morning, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov arrived in the town of Turkmenabat. From there, the head of state proceeded to the Ruhyýet Palace of the Lebap velayat, the venue of a space bridge that brought together the participants of the opening ceremonies in Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The Turkmen leader was the first to be given the floor. Addressing his counterpart Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with the words “Dear brother!” and other participants in the celebration, the head of the Turkmen state noted that day was a great holiday in the life of the two countries. The construction of three large facilities, a railway section between the Aqina and Andkhoy stations, a power transmission line in the Kerki– Sheberghan route and an international fibre-optic communication system and transit flows in the Imamnazar–Aqina and Serhetabat–Torghundi directions, was completed. After sincerely congratulating everyone on such a significant event, the head of Turkmenistan expressed gratitude to the Turkmen and Afghan specialists for the large-scale work performed with great skill both in the development and implementation of the promising projects. The national leader noted all of them had been implemented in a short time and had common goals – to give a powerful impetus to the long-term development of our countries and to contribute to the prosperity and well- being of the Turkmen and Afghan peoples, broad international cooperation, mutual understanding and sustainable political and social progress. 2 ¤¤¤ tion, du ring which the ur gent tasks of the ¤¤¤ ¤¤¤ Pre si dent Gurbanguly Ber di mu ha me dov furt her socioecono mic develop ment of An event devoted to the mot to of 2021 The next is sue of the Mi ras Quar ter­ con ducted via di gi tal com mu nications the count ry and other is sues of the stat e “Turk me nis tan – the Ho me of Peace and ly Popu lar Science Jour nal has been the first mee ting of the Cabi net of Mi nis­ li fe we re con si de red. Trust” was held at the Mu kam Pa lace of the pub lis hed. The pe rio dical, pub lis hed by ters in 2021, the mot to of which is “Turk­ ¤¤¤ Sta te Cul tu ral Cent re. 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Prio ri ty king trip, con ducted an exten ded off­ sa ry, wi de ly and so lemn ly celeb ra ted last a wi de rea ders hip, con ti nues a se ries of is sues of the stat e li fe and drafts of a num­ si te sit ting of the Cabi net of Mi nis ters year in our countr y, became the ma in one pub lications about new discoveries and ber of documents wer e brought for ward at the Ru hy ýet Palace, at which so me LATEST NEWS ine the ma t rials of the pub lis hed special the re sults of re search in to the his to rical, for discus sion. is sues of the stat e li fe we re discus sed, is sue of the Po li tics and Society Scien ti fic cul tu ral and spi ri tual he ri ta ge of the Turk­ ¤¤¤ and a num ber of draft documents wer e and Theo re tical Jour nal pub lis hed by the men peop le. 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The ma te­ ment (EBRD), which was at tended by con ducted in videocon fe rence mo de a Air, which had cau sed nu me rous casual­ par ticipa tion of rep re sen ta tives of the rials of this is sue of the jour nal, pub lis hed by thes lea der hip and specia lists of the Mi­ wor king mee ting with the par ticipa tion of ties. dip lo ma tic corps and the me dia and al­ the Ins ti tu te of Sta te, Law and De mocracy nist ry of Fi nance and Econo my and the so me De pu ty Chair men of the Cabi net of ¤¤¤ so teachers of the Ins ti tu te of In ter na tio nal of Turk me nis tan, are devoted to the sig ni­ Halk bank Joint­Stock Com mercial Bank Mi nis ters, the hya kims of the Ahal and Das­ A wor king mee ting with a repr e sen­ Re la tions of the Mi nist ry of Fo reign Af fairs ficant da te of the year 2020 – the 25th an­ and al so the he ad of the EBRD of fice in ho guz velayats and the Mi nis ter of Educa­ ta tive of the Eu ro pean Bank for Reconst­ of the countr y. niver sa ry of the neut ra li ty of Turk me nis tan. Turk me nis tan. 2 Saturday 16 January 2021 PRESIDENTS OF TURKMENISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN OPEN NEW PARTNERSHIP MAINLINES Celebrations Marking the Commissioning of International Transport, Energy and Communications Lines 1 We also aimed to create in that part of the Earth a monwealth of Independent States and the Eurasian Economic ing that friendship with Turkmenistan was highly valued by reliable, rapidly growing energy, transport and commu- Community. the government and the people of Afghanistan. nication system as a very important and integral part of mod- Turkmenistan was ready to develop on a systemic basis “Seven years ago, when I was running for presidency, I was ern world economic relations, intended to promote effec- mutually beneficial, equal cooperation with those organisa- asked where I would start my foreign policy. I said that from tive interregional and continental ties, President Gurbanguly tions, the Turkmen leader said. In this regard, our country Turkmenistan. This statement surprised many domestic and Berdimuhamedov said. puts forward initiatives calling for the start of joint work in foreign politicians.