PRESIDENT SERDAR BERDIMUHAMEDOV TOOK PART IN AN INFORMAL MEETING OF THE CIS HEADS OF STATE

On December 26, 2022, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov left for a working visit to the Russian Federation, where he took part in the informal Summit of the leaders of the CIS countries, traditionally held annually in St. Petersburg at the end of the outgoing year.

Officials saw the head of state off at the Ashgabat International Airport. A few hours later, the presidential airliner landed at Pulkovo International Airport in St. Petersburg, where President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was met by officials.

The autocortege of the President of Turkmenistan proceeded to the venue of the current informal meeting of the heads of the CIS member states - the Presidential Library named after B.N. Yeltsin.

Here the head of the Turkmen state was cordially welcomed by the President of the Russian Federation. After exchanging mutual greetings, the leaders of the two countries traditionally took a photo for memory.

The Summit was also attended by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov, President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev .

Before the start of the summit, a ceremony of joint photographing of the heads of state of the Commonwealth took place against the background of the State flags of the CIS member states.

Opening the informal Summit, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin once again warmly greeted its participants, expressing gratitude to everyone for accepting the invitation to come to St. Petersburg for the already traditional informal New Year's Eve meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States member states.

It was noted that the Commonwealth took coordinated measures aimed at import substitution and ensuring technological sovereignty, independence, building up joint industrial production and scientific potential.

Another key area of cooperation between the CIS countries was the maintenance of security and stability in the Eurasian region. It was noted that the Commonwealth countries cooperate in a constructive manner on the subject of combating terrorism and extremism, cross-border crime, drug trafficking and corruption.

In conclusion, the President of the Russian Federation congratulated everyone on the upcoming New Year and expressed confidence that the deepening of cooperation within the framework of the CIS meets the fundamental interests of the peoples of our countries, helps to more effectively solve the problems of the socio-economic development of the Commonwealth states and strengthen regional stability and security.

During the interested exchange of views that followed, the results of the work done in 2022 were analyzed and priority tasks for the coming period were specified.

In the course of an interested discussion of priority areas of interaction with a view to the near and long term, the heads of state expressed confidence that the current informal Summit would provide a powerful incentive for further consolidation of efforts and the implementation of new important joint projects in the interests of all.

Upon completion of the program of the working visit to the Russian Federation, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov went to Pulkovo International Airport, from where he left for homeland.