Ukraine and Turkmenistan have agreed to start work on drafting a new agreement on long-term trade and economic cooperation, Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Trade Andriy Kliuyev has said.
While commenting on the results of a meeting of the Ukrainian-Turkmen joint intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation held in Ashgabat on March 31 and April 1, he noted that the previous agreement, which was signed in 2001, had expired in 2010.
Kliuyev stressed the need to make up for lost time, because more than seven years had already passed since the first meeting of the intergovernmental commission held in 2003.
He also noted that the trade between Ukraine and Turkmenistan had reduced by 12 times over this period, from $4.3 billion in 2004 to $359 million in 2010.
"We have agreed to use all available opportunities to strengthen our cooperation," Kliuyev said.
The parties also agreed to make counter proposals on the entry of the products of Turkmenistan’s textile, carpet and food industries to the Ukrainian market and the access of the products of Ukraine’s engineering, chemical, steelmaking and food industries, as well as building materials and agricultural products, to the Turkmen market.
"We agreed that the two governments would promote the strengthening of cooperation between the chambers of commerce and industry – holding conferences, exhibitions, fairs, and business forums, and ensuring the permanent exchange of information on the situation on the markets of the two countries," Kliuyev said.
He said that the sides had discussed the prospects of cooperation in many areas, in particular, the oil and gas sector, the construction industry, agriculture, transport and communications, education, science, health, culture, and sports. Kliuyev noted that agreement had been reached to enhance cooperation between the academies of sciences of Ukraine and Turkmenistan, in particular, in conducting joint research in innovative technologies in the production and refining of oil and gas, the use of renewable energy sources, and environmental protection. The issue also concerns cooperation in the sphere of biotechnology and nanotechnology, the pharmaceutical industry, the development of innovations in agriculture, as well as the training of experts for Turkmenistan, Kliuyev said.
He said that Turkmenistan had invited Ukrainian companies to participate in the implementation of investment projects in the Avaz national tourist zone and that Ukraine had offered its Turkmen colleagues to participate in the development of resort infrastructure in the Carpathian region.
The sides also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Ukrainian-Turkmen joint intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation in Kyiv in 2012, Kliuyev said
