Economic Cooperation Organization ready to expand co-op with Turkmenistan

A meeting between Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Hadi​Soleimanpour was held in Turkmenistan’s Turkmenbashi city, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.

The parties stressed the effectiveness of the long-term cooperation between Turkmenistan and the ECO, which originates from 1992.

The sides discussed the possibility of expanding cooperation during the talks at the ECO platform, taking into account the country's strategic spheres, including water, transport and energy diplomacy.

Presently, Ashgabat thinks that the prospects for optimizing the transport network along the North-South and West-East transport corridors by using vessels, trains and ships are reasonable.

These projects are able to connect vast areas from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea and Black Sea, from the northern European continent to the Indian Ocean.

The Kazakhstan – Turkmenistan – Iran and Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Tajikistan railways, airports in Ashgabat and in the provinces, bridges across the Amu Darya, Turkmenbashi international sea port and other facilities that have already been commissioned and are being built in the country are designed to become the key components of transnational transport corridors.

ECO is an interstate economic organization formed in 1985 by the leaders of Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan.

The activity of the ECO has intensified since 1992 in connection with the accession of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.