President: Iran stands to expand relations with Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, April 2 / Trend H. Hasanov / In a letter addressed to Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed the importance of expanding the friendly relations between the two Caspian countries. "Once again stressing the importance of improving the friendly relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkmenistan, may Allah the Almighty grant Your Excellency sound health and success and the government and Turkmen people happiness and all the humanity and prosperity," the message says. President Berdimuhamedov commented on the results of recent intergovernmental negotiations. He said that the Turkmen-Iranian inter-state dialogue has recently gained a new momentum. The Iranian media reported that at a meeting between Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister Baymurad Khojamuhammadov in Tehran and the Iranian president they had stressed the importance of the rapid completion of a joint project to establish a rail link between Iran and Turkmenistan. The two countries have already implemented such large-scale projects such as the construction of the Dostluk boundary reservoir, the Tejan-Sarakhs-Mashhad railroad as well as interstate gas pipelines and power lines. The parties are also negotiating to increase energy supplies from Turkmenistan. At this stage, the North-South major railway project is under implementation. Kazakhstan also takes part in it. The railway construction is financially supported by the Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az