BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 6. Turkmen President
Serdar Berdimuhamedov received Swiss Vice President and OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office Ignazio Cassis to discuss cooperation with
the organization and bilateral ties.


This was reflected in a statement published by the press service
of the Turkmen government.


"The current visit to our country is regarded as an important
stage in the development of relations between Turkmenistan, the
OSCE and the Swiss Confederation," Berdimuhamedov said during the
meeting.


According to the statement, the sides discussed prospects for
expanding cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), noting that joint
activities are carried out under annual cooperation programs
developed by the Turkmen government together with the OSCE Centre
in Ashgabat.


The president also reaffirmed Turkmenistan's interest in further
developing political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and
humanitarian cooperation with Switzerland and expressed readiness
to consider concrete proposals from the Swiss side.







Cassis, who also heads Switzerland's Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs, reiterated his country's interest in strengthening
bilateral relations and highlighted the importance the OSCE
attaches to expanding practical cooperation with Turkmenistan.


To note, Turkmenistan has been an OSCE participating State since
1992, while the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat has operated since 1999,
implementing projects in the politico-military,
economic-environmental and human dimensions. Over the years,
cooperation has increasingly focused on border security,
counterterrorism, transport connectivity, environmental governance,
trade facilitation and digitalization, with the Centre also serving
as a platform for regional conferences involving Central Asian
states.


At the same time, relations between Turkmenistan and Switzerland
have also gained momentum in recent years. Although bilateral trade
remains modest, the two countries have expanded political dialogue
through regular diplomatic contacts and cooperation within
international organizations, particularly the United Nations and
the OSCE. Earlier this year, Turkmen and Swiss diplomats discussed
prospects for broadening trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian
ties, while Switzerland, which currently holds the OSCE
Chairpersonship, has placed particular emphasis on strengthening
the organization's engagement with Central Asia.