BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 22. Turkmenistan regards Georgia as a strategic infrastructure and logistics hub of international importance, Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov said at the 5th Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, Trend reports.
“Today, the country is not only an important transit area. Georgia's role is much broader and more significant. Turkmenistan views Georgia and distinguishes it as a strategic infrastructure and logistics hub of international importance, an integral part of the Caspian Sea, Black Sea, transcontinental trade, and economic cooperation,” Meredov said.
He highlighted the need to adapt to complex global economic developments. “Against the backdrop of complex developments in the global economy and the emergence of barriers, obstacles, and risks, it is necessary to develop effective mechanisms, criteria, and parameters that would ensure greater efficiency of cooperation and maximum benefits from the establishment of trade and economic links, production and technological chains involving different countries and companies,” the minister noted.
Meredov emphasized that regional cooperation must go beyond traditional interstate partnerships. “The agenda today goes beyond merely strengthening interstate partnerships and regional cooperation, important as they are. The current task is to build a fundamentally new architecture of East-West relations, in which the Caspian-Black Sea format of cooperation should become its foundation, key link, and driving force for the development of economies, trade, infrastructure, and logistics,” he said.
He also outlined practical steps Turkmenistan is ready to take. “For this purpose Turkmenistan is ready to work with its partners on facilitation of tariff and customs procedures, establishment of their effective interaction among national operators and addressing other relevant issues. We expect that this forum will help lay the groundwork for significant progress in the implementation of the upcoming plans and projects,” Meredov added.
The minister concluded by emphasizing the broader goal of increasing trade between East and West. “I think that if we would like to increase trade turnover between our countries, I mean between the East and West countries, we need to think about the above-mentioned proposals of my country,” he said.