On August 4, Ashgabat hosted a high-level meeting in the format «Turkmenistan — Tajikistan — Uzbekistan». During the summit Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Emomali Rahmon and Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed the development of friendly and mutually beneficial relations between their countries.
Yuri Aronsky, the head of the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan, a member of the Coordinating Council of the International Union of Economists and a columnist of CentralAsia.news, analyzed the results of the summit.
The expert noted that the presidents discussed the issues of strengthening political, economic, energy, water-ecological and transport cooperation. In addition, the leaders of the states took part in the bilateral meetings.
Security
As follows from the joint statement of the heads of the states, the strengthening of political, economic, energy, water-environmental and transport cooperation is in the interests of the peoples of the three countries and contributes to peace and security in Central Asia. The statement specifically noted the importance of joint efforts of cooperation in the fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations.
Trade
The parties expressed a common opinion on the need to create favorable conditions for the further development of economic and trade cooperation between their countries. The presidents approved support for activities aimed at stimulating trade and economic relations and developing the entire transport and communication infrastructure that serves the welfare of the region.
Transportation
Heads of the states noted that all three countries have great potential and resources in the field of transport. They underlined that the joint use of this potential can have a great positive impact. The emphasis was placed on the transportation along the route Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan, which provides access to seaports of the Caspian sea and the Persian Gulf.
Ecology
Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Emomali Rahmon and Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid special attention to strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between countries on the integrated and rational use of water and energy resources, taking into account the interests of all states. They noted the priority importance of the rational use of the water resources of the Amu Darya River.
New phase of trilateral partnership
It seems that the issues discussed at the summit should give impetus to deepening trilateral cooperation in various areas of the economy, ecology, culture and humanitarian sphere, and within the fight against extremism.
The meeting gave the leaders of the three states an opportunity to develop common positions on a number of important issues of regional cooperation before the 5th Anniversary Consultative Meeting of the Heads of States of Central Asia.
