Outcomes of the First Official Visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Georgia

The President of Turkmenistan has finished his first official visit to Georgia. During the two days, July 2-3, Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov met with his Georgian counterpart, GiorgiMargvelashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, and the Speaker of theGeorgian Parliament, Davit Usupashvili. 

Turkmenistan focused its strategic discussion with Georgia on energy matters. Official Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, aims to diversify its energy routes to have better access to the world markets. Turkmenistan is especially interested in supplying Europe with gas recourses. The EU, which tries to reduce its energy dependency on Russia, plans to begin importing Turkmen gas by 2019. Negotiations about the Trans-Caspian Pipeline, which will deliver Turkmen gas to Europe,are ongoing between Turkmenistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan and the EU. 

In May Ashgabat extended an invitation to Georgia, an important transitory country, which can enable Turkmen gas transit from Azerbaijan to Turkey. 

Another important issue of discussion this visit was transport corridors. “Our cooperation has great potential in these issues [transport corridors], both countries have great opportunities - this is the Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey direction…our foreign ministries have been working on this initiative and will continue to work with experts,” said President Berdymukhamedov in a joint statement of the two presidents.

In frames of this visit, Turkmenistan also signed 10 memoranda of understanding with Georgia in different fields, such as economy, education, culture, and agriculture.  

Also, the Turkmen President was awarded the honorary title of Academician by the Georgian Academy of Science. 

Before leaving the country, President Berdymukhamedov invited President Margvelashvili toAshgabat to attend celebration events for Turkmenistan’s 20 years of neutrality, and to participate in a conference on “Policy of Neutrality” in December 2015. The Georgian President has already accepted the invitation.