Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov have pointed to the positive dynamics of the development of bilateral cooperation, Itar-Tass reported. The Turkmen President said that bilateral cooperation “is showing very good results.” ”In 2008, trade turnover between our countries amounted to seven billion U.S. dollars, while this year, despite the crisis, it reached five billion U.S. dollars during the first seven months,” he said. President Berdymukhamedov added that more interesting contracts are to be signed. Specifically, Turkmenistan is going to sign a contract with St. Petersburg leaders for the building of overpasses, bridges and roads, whose value will be about 0.5 billion U.S. dollars. Medvedev supported the Turkmen President, who stressed that the credit for those good results goes to the intergovernmental commission. “Despite the crisis, our trade and economic relations are developing very well. Trade turnover is growing, unlike the situation with other countries, where the figures are on the decline. This means that the potential of our cooperation is very high,” he said. The two presidents pointed out during their talks that bilateral cooperation was developing in the humanitarian sphere too. Specifically, a Russian-Turkmen school will be opened in Ashgabat later this year. The Turkmen president invited Medvedev to attend the opening ceremony. “I accept the invitation with gratitude, wishing that the relations between our countries continue to be close, friendly and partner-like,” Medvedev said.
