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Author : Batyr Niyazliyev
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Russian Federation
THE EIGHTH OF APRIL of this year was the 25th
anniversary of the Protocol on the Establishment of
Diplomatic Relations between Turkmenistan and the
Russian Federation. That date was the starting point
of a qualitatively new period in the history of friendly
and good-neighborly ties between the peoples of
Turkmenistan and Russia. The relations between the
two countries, which span many centuries, have had
their logical continuation in recent times. These re-
cent years of Turkmen-Russian cooperation have
been marked by intensive dialogue and by mutual sup-
port and confidence in the international arena.
As Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow stresses, Russia is a strategic partner of Turk-
menistan. The two countries have long-term bilateral relations that encompass all key spheres and
are based on principles of equality and respect for each other's interests, on mutual understanding,
and on similar positions on principal international problems and trends. The effective and mutually
beneficial partnership between our nations has a huge potential and is based on rich historical ex-
perience, on strong ties of friendship, good-neighborliness and mutual respect that bind the peoples
of the two countries together, and on their awareness of present-day realities. In this connection,
the Turkmen head of state emphasizes the need for maximum use of all resources of interaction
since close and multifaceted Turkmen-Russian cooperation meets the ultimate interests of the two
peoples and exerts an important positive influence on regional and international processes.
The peace-loving and constructive foreign policy strategy followed by Turkmenistan and the Russian
Federation forms the basis for dynamic, constructive and consistently expanding bilateral coopera-
tion.
Very recently, the Russian Federation sponsored and co-authored another UN General Assembly
resolution initiated by Turkmenistan, a document that declared December 12 the International Day
of Neutrality.
Turkmenistan, for its part, gives strong support to Russian international initiatives. Our country has
repeatedly voted for Russia or Russian officials when they ran for UN specialized institutions.
This anniversary year in the history of Turkmen-Russian diplomatic relations will be one more land-
mark in effective bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
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Turkmenistan and Russia