Turkmen President Unveils Draft Agenda for Central Asia–Azerbaijan Summit Ahead of October Meeting
Cholpon-Ata, The Gulf Observer: Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has presented the draft agenda for the upcoming Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, scheduled to take place on October 8 in Turkmenistan’s Awaza National Tourist Zone, during an informal gathering of Central Asian and Azerbaijani leaders in Cholpon-Ata, according to Turkmen state media.
Opening his remarks, President Berdimuhamedov expressed gratitude to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov for the warm hospitality, excellent organization of the meeting, and the traditional welcome extended to participating delegations. He also congratulated Kyrgyzstan on the inauguration of new facilities along the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul, noting that the modern infrastructure would significantly enhance the region’s tourism potential.
The Turkmen leader also congratulated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Azerbaijan’s full participation in the regional consultative format, following the decision adopted during last year’s Consultative Meeting of Central Asian leaders in Tashkent. He said the establishment of the six-party cooperation mechanism between Central Asian states and Azerbaijan would further strengthen regional partnership and unlock new opportunities for utilizing the countries’ shared economic and strategic potential.
President Berdimuhamedov informed the participants that preparations for the October summit in Awaza are progressing steadily and that the draft agenda has already been circulated among the participating countries. He added that a series of international forums and cultural events would be held alongside the summit, expressing confidence that close coordination among participating nations would ensure the successful organization of the high-level gathering.
According to the Turkmen president, the proposed agenda focuses on five key areas of cooperation. These include discussions on regional and international peace, stability and security; strengthening political and diplomatic coordination between Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan; expanding trade and economic relations, energy cooperation, and the development of sustainable transport and logistics corridors.
The agenda also prioritizes joint efforts in environmental protection, climate adaptation, the efficient management of the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river resources, and initiatives aimed at restoring the Aral Sea ecosystem. In addition, it emphasizes the promotion of cultural, scientific and educational cooperation, including broader exchanges among students and young people across the region.
The upcoming summit is expected to further reinforce regional integration and deepen strategic cooperation between Central Asia and Azerbaijan across a wide range of political, economic, environmental and humanitarian sectors.
