Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Turkmenistan’s president-in-waiting as well as kid of the incumbent, on March 30 embarked on a four-day journey to Russia as component of a main government delegation. The getaway resembled yet an additional outfit rehearsal.
Official readouts of meetings in Moscow mention mainly humdrum organization, although there are hints of notable growths.
The delegation was led by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, as is normal when elderly Turkmen delegations go overseas, however Berdymukhamedov junior was additionally given some light document-signing duties. It was his visibility that was significant instead of what he did, which was really little without a doubt, by all appearances.
The majority of the joint agreements were looked after by the particular authorities in charge of locations like health and wellness, agriculture, custom-mades and also finance.
Cooperation on health is of especially acute importance taking into account the Covid-19 pandemic. Turkmenistan has existed to the international neighborhood in asserting it has spotted no cases as well as might because of this be seen as a reduced concern for support. Indeed, Ashgabat looks to be leaning greatly on Russia’s Sputnik V for its inoculation program, the scale as well as application of which is shrouded in mystery. Turkmenistan was additionally the very first nation worldwide after Russia to register the EpiVacCorona vaccination, which has actually been established by Russian drug-maker Vector.
Turkmen main resources are reluctant to mention the feared c-word, leaving it to the Russians to report the fact that Health Minister Mikhail Murashko and also his Turkmen equivalent, Nurmuhammet Amannepesov, mostly discussed Sputnik V supplies and tipping up “experienced interactions in between medical companies” in the two countries.
Ashgabat detests being seen as a needy recipient helpful, though, so the browse through of the Turkmen delegation was timed ahead in advance of a faintly unreasonable exchange of humanitarian items. Russian media reported on March 5 that two containers filled with non reusable masks and also clinical dress donated by Turkmenistan had actually been unloaded at a port in Astrakhan. Television video showed the contribution also consisted of cookies.
Just to compound the pointlessness of it all, Turkmen media were on April 1 reporting that Russia had sent off 12 lots of humanitarian help on an Ilyushin-76 owned by the Emergency Situations Ministry. That aid as well was protective gear of the precise very same kind the Turkmens sent out north by boat.
These might be trifling episodes, but they do however highlight the ruthless tune of bonhomie sung collectively by Russia and also Turkmenistan. Moscow’s bear-hug welcome of Ashgabat becomes ever extra particular with each of these exchanges.
The trade numbers are indicative, as Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said approvingly at a March 30 meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Turkmen Commission on Economic Cooperation.
” In 2020, Russian-Turkmen trade turnover increased by 39.6 percent as compared to 2019, amounting to virtually $1 billion. The volume of Russian exports raised by 19.6%, imports expanded twofold,” Overchuk stated.
That’s no mean feat for a year when international profession slowed down greatly.
The concern is now on smoothing the roadway and expanding those numbers just further.
One more of the arrangements authorized at the intergovernmental meeting was one between Russia’s feared Rospotrebnadzor health and wellness and also customer affairs watchdog and also the Turkmen Health Ministry. Due to the fact that it is inevitably Rospotrebnadzor that slams the door closed when anything is located or presumed to be wrong with international food imports, feared. And also this refers some worry at the moment as Rosselkhoznadzor, a farming guard dog not dissimilar to Rospotrebnadzor, has actually been increasing issues about Turkmen tomatoes being contaminated with brownish rugose fruit infection.
Basically, harmonization of sanitary, custom-mades as well as economic regulation requirements is the name of the game. Although Turkmenistan is rarely mentioned as an imminently possible participant of the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) trading bloc, that notion is quite certainly on the Kremlin’s mind. Berdymukhamedov junior’s only job was, tellingly enough, to ink a file with the stealthily bland title of Intergovernmental Agreement on the Promotion of Interregional Cooperation.
For all this goodwill, points are still hard for Turkmen pupils aspiring to go to Russia. Moscow-based TASS information agency reported April 4 on exactly how Russia has because late March resumed its doors, after a long coronavirus-induced hiatus, to youngsters from loads of nations, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and also Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan is absent from the checklist.
To be reasonable, it is not as though Turkmen pupils have lots of options when it concerns physically getting to Russia, given the lack of transportation web links at the moment. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his equivalent, Meredov, at an April 1 conference likewise went to by Serdar Berdymukhamedov, that “we will certainly do whatever possible to make sure that, while there are temporary disturbances in regular air website traffic, Turkmens can proceed their studies, including through remote layouts.”
International traveling may still be off the table, however points are opening up a little within Turkmenistan. As had actually been assured, the railway path between Ashgabat as well as the northern city of Dashoguz returned to solution on April 1, as did long-distance bus traveling from the funding to Mary.
The faithful and also society marauders similarly have reason for joy. The parastatal muftiate has announced that all mosques have returned to normal functioning. Constraints on visiting mosques had remained in location considering that July. And the Emergency Situations Committee has actually announced that movie theaters may present performances on Friday, Saturday and also Sunday evenings.
This week’s slice of aired presidential japery was provided from the International Akhal-Teke Equestrian Complex, which President Berdymukhamedov visited wearing his hat as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The validation for once more putting on camo equipment was that he was evaluating stables run by military and police. The annual Akhal-Teke charm contest schedules later on this month.
Continuing to the racetrack, he stood just about alone in the stands as equines were competed for his exclusive satisfaction. A steed called Nyazik, owned by the Supreme Court, won the 1,000-meter race. Simply to repeat, the Supreme Court as an institution owns a racehorse. So do all national-level federal government bodies, as a matter of fact.
The head of state later in the exact same day continued to check progress in the building of the future International Alabai Sheepdog Association. He was given an update by his child, that happens to chair the organization. Serdar Berdymukhamedov has in recent weeks dedicated more time to dog-related business than any other activity, in spite of his recent significant promotions, if state media protection is any kind of guide.