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• The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto paid a visit to Georgia

  The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto paid a visit to Georgia, on 6 July. He was hosted by his Georgian colleague, David Zalkaliani. The sides discussed issues relating to bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
  
  Following the meeting, the two ministers made a joint statement. David Zalkaliani thanked his Hungarian counterpart for the solidarity demonstrated by him, personally, in the challenging times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as for his visit, which is the first high-level visit to Georgia since the outbreak.
  
  The Ministers took special note of the active and successful cooperation between Georgia and Hungary during the pandemic. The Hungarian Foreign Minister highlighted Georgia’s success in the fight against the virus. The ministers underlined the need to maintain a positive tendencies and to act carefully for the protection of public health.
  
  “Georgia made considerable progress in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Georgia has the lowest infection rate in Europe, and I want to congratulate you on this success. Hungary too is successful in dealing with the pandemic. To maintain this achievement, both countries need to take careful steps as human health is first and foremost. Today we discussed the possibilities of opening borders. We quite understand Georgia’s motive for extending travel restrictions. As successful countries in the fight against the pandemic, we both take careful steps. Many Hungarians keen to arrive in Georgia. We agreed to create a working group to regularly exchange relevant information” - Peter Szijjarto said.
  The Ministers highlighted that Hungary openly and unequivocally supports Georgia at both bilateral and international forums.

  
  “Hungary is the firm supporter of Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. I can recall no such high-level conference or meeting where the Hungarian Foreign Minister has not expressed his clear support for Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Quite recently, at the NATO and EaP ministerial meetings, he again made very clear messages in support for Georgia” – David Zalkaliani said.

  During their meeting the Ministers discussed the situation in Georgia’s occupied territories. David Zalkaliani brought to his colleague’s attention the difficult humanitarian situation on the ground.
  
  Special note was taken of the successful education cooperation between the two countries. Today, as part of the Hungarian Minister’s visit to Georgia, Georgia and Hungary will sign a memorandum and an additional protocol on cooperation in the areas of culture and education, including in terms of granting scholarships to Georgian students.

  
  The Ministers also spoke about the Hungarian airlines Wizz Air operating flights from the Kutaisi airport to Europe. According to the Hungarian Minister, Wizz Air successfully cooperates with Georgia and once the airline is fully up and running again, Georgia will be its priority destination. “An increasing number of Hungarians want to visit Georgia. Up to 7000 Hungarians arrived in Georgia over the past year. Due to the pandemic, however, Vizz Air reduced its flights not only to Georgia, but also to many other countries. Your government has always been supporting Vizz Air activities in Georgia. I am sure Vizz Air will reestablish its position in the world soon” - Peter Szijjarto noted.

  David Zalkaliani added that Vizz Air is one of the important Hungarian companies in Georgia. “It plays an important role in advancing Georgia’s close ties with Europe” – he said.

  During his visit Szijjarto will hold meetings with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, as well as the ministers of foreign affairs, economy, regional developments and education, as well as Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia.

  MFA press-release 

• Hungarian Foreign Minister will visit Georgia

  Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto will visit Georgia tomorrow, on 6 July. 
  
  During his visit Szijjarto will hold meetings with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, as well as the ministers of foreign affairs, economy, regional developments and education.
  
  After the meeting with his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani, the two FMs will make a joint statement.
  
  FM Szijjarto will also visit the Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II.

  MFA press release

• A TRILATERAL MEETING OF THE PRESIDENTS OF TURKMENISTAN, AFGHANISTAN AND AZERBAIJAN WAS HELD

  On July 2, 2020, a trilateral meeting was held in the form of a video conference between the Presidents of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. The agenda of the high-level meeting included discussion of a joint project - the international transit and transport corridor along the route Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (Lapis Lazuli).

  During a video conference on the implementation of this joint project, the heads of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted that the fulfillment of projects on the creation of transcontinental transit transport corridors will serve to strengthen regional and international trade and economic relations, universal sustainable development.

  Warmly welcoming President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov thanked his colleagues for organizing the forum.

  In his speech, the President of Turkmenistan emphasized that cooperation in this direction is given particular importance taking into account the global danger that the world is currently facing. As part of international efforts to combat the proliferation of COVID-19, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan have worked together effectively. In this regard, the head of state expressed his gratitude to the Afghan and Azerbaijani parties for understanding and providing comprehensive support to the initiatives of Turkmenistan to combat the coronavirus infection and reduce the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic.

  Turning to the issues of cooperation in the field of transport, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan are located at the crossroads of continental routes.

  Considering the already outlined directions of the plan for joint cooperation in the transport sector, as well as the deadlines, the need to establish effective cooperation was emphasized. In this regard, the head of Turkmenistan put forward a number of specific proposals for actively establishing a long-term partnership in the field of transport.

  Firstly, based on the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey (Lapis Lazuli) Agreement on the transport corridor, signed in Ashgabat on November 15, 2017, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov proposed the creation of a single logistics center.

  Secondly, the availability of modern, high-tech transport infrastructure is of paramount importance for increasing the efficiency of freight transportation. Aware of this, it is necessary to pay special attention to the further development of points of departure and reception of goods: seaports, railway stations and bus stations.

  Thirdly, the head of state proposed a common pricing policy for the transportation of goods along the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan route and in the opposite direction. In this context, it was emphasized that the parties can discuss the issues of providing each other with various benefits - such as reducing prices (tariffs) for transit, exemption from payment for certain types of services during storage of goods.

  Fourthly, the Turkmen leader proposed to consider the possibility of simplifying customs operations by introducing a control system based on the Single Window principle.

  Fifthly, the need was expressed to prepare an atlas of the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan route in digital format with detailed information on the existing transport and communications infrastructure.

  In order to elaborate on the initiatives voiced in detail, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov proposed holding an online meeting in July this year between leaders of the transport agencies and other relevant departments of the three countries.

  Thanking the participants of the online meeting for their attention, the Turkmen leader expressed his conviction that the development of effective mechanisms and mutually agreed positions will expand cooperation that meets the real interests of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.

  During the meeting, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani told in their speeches that the initiatives put forward by the President of Turkmenistan find broad support from the international community and expressed gratitude to the Turkmen counterpart for the ongoing constructive peace policy and put forward initiatives to deepen multilateral partnership in all promising areas.

• Turkmenistan is elected as Vice-Chair of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly

  As reported by the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the United Nations, on June 29, 2020, our country was elected as Vice-Chair of the upcoming 75th session of the UN General Assembly.

  Thus, the close partnership of Turkmenistan with the UN has received a new impetus, primarily in the context of the implementation of important international initiatives put forward by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

  Our country is elected as Vice-Chair of the session of the United Nations General Assembly for the sixth time; earlier, Turkmenistan participated in the 58th, 62nd, 64th and 68th and 71st sessions.

  The election of Turkmenistan as Vice-Chair of the upcoming 75th session of the UN General Assembly vividly testifies to the high international prestige of our country, the constructiveness of the foreign policy pursued by the President of Turkmenistan, based on the principles of positive neutrality, peacefulness, good neighborliness and broad international cooperation in common interests.

  Among the priority tasks as a neutral state, Turkmenistan specifies the establishment of the culture of dialogue in resolving issues and contradictions. On September 12, 2019, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution, initiated by the President of Turkmenistan, on declaring 2021 the International Year of Peace and Trust.

  In this context, our country will develop and submit for consideration by the UN a number of proposals for the International Year of Peace and Trust with the most practical benefit to ensure peace and security.

  The election of Turkmenistan as Vice-Chair of the upcoming 75th session of the UN General Assembly marks a new important chapter in the history of relations between our country and the United Nations.

  At the same time, this is a significant success of the multifaceted diplomacy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, which meets both the fundamental national interests and the tasks of ensuring universal peace, security, and sustainable development.

   

   The state news agency of Turkmenistan

• Head of the MFA of Turkmenistan participated of the minister-level meeting in the “C5+1” format

  On June 30, 2020, the successive meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Central Asian countries and USA in the “C5+1” format was held through videoconferencing.   

  The Secretary of State of the United States of America and the Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the session.

  The participants considered the collaboration in political-diplomatic field, and discussed the key aspects of trade-economic cooperation.  One of the main topics of discussion at this meeting was the settlement of the situation in Afghanistan and development of joint mechanisms on expanding the cooperation in various areas. 

  During his speech at the ministerial meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs R.Meredov expressed the standpoint of Turkmenistan concerning the Afghan issues. He underlined that the Turkmen side supports the cooperation in multilateral formats aimed at strengthening of political and socio-economic life in the neighboring country by peaceful means and is ready to use the necessary political-diplomatic potential of the state in this regard. Herein, the importance of applying the UN platform was emphasized.        

  During the meeting, the opportunities of expanding mutual investments, infrastructural, transport-communication, social and energy projects of regional scale were discussed.  The parties exchanged views on strengthening collaboration in the area of healthcare, energy, transport, nature protection.