Summing up the Turkmen leader’s visit to Iran

The recent official visit of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov to Iran went down in history of good neighbourliness maintained over these years by the efforts of the national leaders, who had initiated co-operation between the two fraternal peoples separated for many years as it chanced. Restoring the historical justice Saparmurat Niyazov and Hasemi Rafsanjani looked farther ahead inspiring their peoples with optimism and confidence in the fruit-bearing tree of friendship. Today, this tree, whose deep roots feeding upon the common spiritual source, has the luxuriant crown casting the life-giving shadow in a giant radius of good neighbourliness. After the new leaders were elected the Turkmen-Iranian co-operation reached a new stage vividly demonstrating the political will and pragmatism that was proved by the recent Tehran summit. The negotiations developed into the leaders’ determination to expand bilateral partnership standing steadfast to the interests of the region and set off the guideline adhered by the Turkmen leader in the foreign policy. His political pragmatism underlies the widely understandable tactics of national interests, which is of high demand under modern conditions. The national interests of both Turkmenistan and Iran coincide in the need of a transport corridor, which cannot but stretch farther than the two countries’ territories. Based on the previous experience of interaction the need turned into a real decision under the initiative the Turkmen leader had brought to Tehran. The southern neighbour confirmed its intention to collaborate in the new regional project – the construction of the North-South transport corridor. Upon returning to Ashgabat Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov commented on that fact as a key outcome of the official visit. The Turkmen leader noted the effectiveness of the Tehran summit. The Turkmen leader’s initiative to construct the transport corridor providing the CIS countries with an access to the Persian Gulf seaports was first put forward at the Turkmen-Russian-Kazakh summit in Turkmenbashi this spring. The initiative was developed at the Tehran summit. Having the huge potential of co-operation promoted by the geographical factor as well Turkmenistan and Iran intend to concert the efforts to implement the important project, which is to offer a powerful incentive to economic growth in the region. The national leaders demonstrated their readiness to sign the relevant document at the forthcoming Caspian Sea summit in Tehran. President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev confirmed that intention during the recent telephone conversation with Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov a day after the President of Turkmenistan had returned from Iran. The success of Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov’s first visit to Iran had been predetermined by the course of the Turkmen-Iranian partnership as well as the new opportunities for good neighbourliness. It is natural that the Turkmen leader was held in high respect and welcomed in Iran as a political figure of a new formation and the Iranian people’s true friend. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had stressed that Iran showed keen interest in Turkmenistan’s dynamical development and the large-scale reforms initiated in the country by the present Turkmen leader. In this regard the meeting with Iran’s spiritual leader Aytollah Hameini who had supported the Turkmen leader’s guideline of the succession and steady enhancement of interstate interaction in the interests of both peoples was extremely significant. Upon returning to Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov issued the resolutions securing the contracts concluded with the Iran Khodro Company – Turkmenistan’s long-term and dependable partner, for a large consignment of first-class long-distance buses, city buses and special vehicles for police departments. Upon concluding the summit talks IRI President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, “I am very proud that I acquired such an energetic friend,” recognising the Turkmen leader’s business grip and ability to pass from words to deeds.