Georgia seeks to boost ties with Turkmenistan

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili expressed his confidence in the development of bilateral ties in his letter to Turkmen President, the Turkmen government reported on Thursday.

"I take this opportunity to express my confidence in the long-standing relationship between the Turkmen and Georgian people and that it will continue to develop and strengthen for the benefit of our two countries this year and in years to come", the congratulatory message on the occasion of the New Year read.

As previously noted by official representatives of Georgia, relations between the two countries are based on a broad range of shared interests, particularly, on ensuring stability and security in the South Caucasus, Central Asia and beyond.

One of the key areas of cooperation are ties in the fuel and energy sectors, in particular regarding participation in major international projects such as the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, Nabucco, and theAzerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector (AGRI).

Experts believe that for Turkmenistan's Caspian section, the depths of which contain the fourth-largest natural gas reserves in the world (after Russia, Iran and Qatar), the route across the Caspian Sea to Europe is increasingly attractive.

If implemented, Trans-Caspian pipeline infrastructure would make the connection of Caspian resources to transnational projects in the long-term possible.

In its energy strategy, Turkmenistan adheres to the principle of diversification of export routes of energy to world markets, including routes to Europe.

"Turkmenistan's reasonable position impresses us, as Georgia is an important part of the South Caucasus transport and energy corridor and is ready to provide reliable and safe energy transit through its territory from the Caspian Basin and Central Asia", one of the articles of the Extraordinary Ambassador and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Turkmenistan Joseph Chahvashvili published in the Turkmen media says.


/Trend/