Turkmen envoy calls for continued cooperation with Iran

Turkmen Ambassador to Tehran Ahmad Qorbanov stressed his country's age-old and good relations with Iran, and asked for continued cooperation between the two states. “Iran and Turkmenistan have taken good steps during their 20-year-old relations and this cooperation should continue,” Qorbanov said in a meeting with the governor-general of Iran’s Northern province of Golestan Sunday night. Describing Golestan province as a trade and transit center, he said, “Golestan is highly interested in being developed in areas of economy and trade and we have greater works to be done in the future.” Qorbanov also referred to Gorgan-Inche-Boroun-Turkmenistan railway project, and said the railway will be launched next year and the Iranian and Turkmen officials will meet on February 27 to decide about the proper spot for linking the two sides of the railway. Iran and Turkmenistan have had official diplomatic relations since Turkmenistan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Iran was the first country to recognize Turkmenistan as an independent nation. Since then, the two countries have enjoyed good relations and have cooperated in the economic and energy sectors. Earlier this month, Iranian Minister of Industries, Mines and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh and Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, in a meeting in Tehran, stressed the need for expanding ties, particularly in transferring Tehran's know-how to Ashgabat. During the meeting, the two officials vow to do their best to pave the ground for promotion of Tehran-Ashgabat mutual cooperation. The top Turkmen diplomat said his country attaches great importance to its economic relations with Iran. He further welcomed transfer of Iran's modern technologies to his country. Nematzadeh, for his part, said the value of bilateral trade exchanges between the two nations would reach $10bln in near future.