Turkmenistan accords official welcoming ceremony for Najib
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace here yesterday in conjunction with his second visit to Turkmenistan to strengthen bilateral ties, as well as expand existing trade relations between the two countries.
Upon arrival at the golden dome palace here, the Malaysian premier was greeted by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Najib then inspected a guard- of- honour mounted by the Turkmenistan armed forces before being introduced to the Cabinet Ministers and the diplomatic corps by Berdimuhamedov.
Najib then introduced his delegation which included Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, Malaysia Ambassador in Turkmenistan Norman Muhamad and president and chief executive officer of Petronas Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas.
The
prime
minister, accompanied by wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, is on a twoday visit to this country at the invitation of Berdimuhamedov. They arrived here on Monday evening.
Najib’s first official visit to this Central Asian country was on July 11 and 12, 2011.
After a photo session, Najib and Berdimuhamedov had a four- eyed meeting to discuss various issues.
Turkmenistan is Malaysia’s third biggest trade partner in Central Asia.
Total trade between the two countries in 2013 was recorded at US$ 33.13 million compared to US$ 11.68 million in 2012 and US$ 24.27 million in 2011.
Najib, who is Finance Minister, and Berdimuhamedov then signed the Joint Statement between Malaysia and Turkmenistan.
They then witnessed the signing of a Cultural Cooperation Agreement between Malaysia and Turkmenistan; a minute which had been agreed upon on the terms of reference for the joint committee on trade between Malaysia and Turkmenistan.
They also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) on education cooperation and a MoU on long-term cooperation between Petronas and the State Agency in Charge of Hydrocarbon.
Later, Najib and Rosmah joined about 100 Malaysians working in the country for lunch, hosted by the Malaysian Ambassador in Turkmenistan Norman Muhamad at the Yyldyz Hotel, their hotel of residence here. — Bernama