BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 1. Turkmenistan and
Kazakhstan held inter-ministerial political consultations, focusing
on expanding trade, transport, and energy cooperation.


This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Turkmenistan following political consultations between Foreign
Minister Rashid Meredov and Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev.


"The sides outlined steps to increase bilateral trade and
diversify its structure. Energy and transit-transport cooperation
were identified among the priority areas, with a focus on
maximizing the region's transit potential," the ministry said.


According to the ministry, the ministers also supported
expanding cross-border cooperation to strengthen direct ties
between the regions of the two countries.


The consultations additionally covered cooperation on water
resources and climate change, including coordination within the
International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea and exchanges on Caspian
issues, the ministry said.







The two sides also reviewed political dialogue,
interparliamentary cooperation, and coordination within the United
Nations and other international organizations, reaffirming their
commitment to strengthening regional partnership, the ministry
outlined.


Meanwhile, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan maintain a strategic
partnership centered on trade, transport connectivity, and energy
cooperation. Bilateral trade has grown more than fourfold over the
past five years, and has consistently exceeded $500 million
annually, while the two countries have set a target of increasing
trade turnover to $1 billion. Particular attention is being paid to
the development of transit corridors linking Central Asia with the
Caspian region and beyond, including cooperation on rail, road, and
logistics infrastructure, as well as joint efforts to strengthen
regional connectivity and cross-border commerce.


Earlier in June, Astana hosted the 14th meeting of the
Kazakh-Turkmen Intergovernmental Commission on Economic,
Scientific, Technical, and Cultural Cooperation. The event was
chaired by Galymzhan Koyshybayev, Deputy Prime Minister and Chief
of Staff of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and
Nokerguly Atagulyev, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of
Turkmenistan.