The Deputy Chairman of the Government of Turkmenistan, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Ambassador Terhi Hakala, Special Representative of the European Union for Central Asia, held talks at the Turkmen Foreign Ministry building in Ashgabat on Friday. The Turkmen side confirmed the intention of the country to expand cooperation with the European Union.
Hakala arrived in Ashgabat to participate in the International Conference "Politics of Peace and Trust - the Basis of International Security, Stability and Development," the Turkmen Foreign Ministry reported on its website.
The sides highlighted the effectiveness of the existing bilateral mechanisms of interaction, including the EU – Turkmenistan Joint Committee, the Interparliamentary Dialogue, Dialogue on Human Rights, Consultative meetings between foreign ministries, as well as cooperation in the EU - Central Asia format.
During his visit, Ambassador Teri Hakala also took part in a regional Asian summit on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, which was co-organized by the EU Mission to Turkmenistan and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. It gathered civil society organizations from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The EU Delegation office in Ashgabat opened in 2019.
