ASHGABAT, 30 March (BelTA) – Belarus is a reliable foothold and friend of Turkmenistan in the center of Europe, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said at the official one-on-one negotiations with Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow on 30 March, BelTA has learned.

“You should know that you have a reliable foothold and good friends in the center of Europe. You can count on Belarus. I am absolutely convinced that the government of this wonderful country led by its president, my old friend, will count on us,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

The head of state emphasized that Belarus is ready to share its experience in various fields with Turkmenistan. “We cooperate in various industries. The trade turnover is always an indicator. In the past years, literally within five years, our trade in goods and services reached $300 million. This is a good indicator. We are making progress in this field. We have managed to solve many issues in trade in this complicated time. I think that moving in this direction we will do a lot in Belarus and Turkmenistan,” the President is convinced.

Alexander Lukashenko praised the development of Turkmenistan's capital city, Ashgabat, and Turkmenistan in general. “It is good that Belarusians have also made a contribution to it by building a factory (the Garlyk mining and processing factory. – BelTA's note). The opening and inauguration of the plant – this is just the beginning. Then the factory will work, it will be needed to train personnel, reach the estimated capacity,” the head of state noted.

According to the President, the implementation of the project was not easy. However, Belarusian and Turkmen specialists have successfully finished construction works. “It will be a pleasure for me to visit it one more time tomorrow. You remember that we have launched the construction process. And tomorrow we will inaugurate the plant which will give an impetus to the development of the wonderful Turkmen land,” the Belarusian leader said.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, in turn, remarked that the cooperation between the two states is increasingly vibrant. “The main thing is that it is enhancing every year. We are convinced that we will reach a high level in our cooperation,” he said.