Turkmenistan – Conversation between Catherine Colonna and her counterpart (Paris, September 5, 2023)

Today, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna hosted Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The ministers applauded the positive momentum of bilateral relations, boosted by both the strengthening of political dialogue and by important development prospects for bilateral relations, especially with regard to economic relations in the environmental, energy and infrastructure sectors in particular. They agreed to continue their discussions and focus specifically on areas of shared interest tied to methane emissions reductions and water resources management.

Their conversation also gave them the opportunity to address the main regional and international crises. Minister Colonna stressed the importance of stability in Central Asia and emphasized her appreciation for Turkmenistan’s commitment and support for an international order based on the rule of law and respect for the UN Charter. Furthermore, she questioned her counterpart about the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in Afghanistan.

At the end of their conversation, the ministers signed a 2024-2026 agenda for foreign ministry cooperation and a declaration of intent on cooperation in the educational sector.