Turkmen-Swedish cooperation discussed in Stockholm

On 3 September 2024, Turkmen-Swedish political consultations were held in Stockholm. The Turkmen side was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myahri Byashimova, the Swedish side was led by Tobias Thyberg, Head of the Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

During the inter-MFA consultations, the sides discussed the current state of bilateral relations and opportunities for their development.

The sides also exchanged views on global and regional agenda items, such as peace and security, counter-terrorism, environment, transport and energy.

In addition, the importance of active interaction within the framework of international organizations such as the UN, OSCE and the EU was highlighted. The Turkmen side invited the Swedish delegation to take part in various events organized by Turkmenistan and suggested involving the international platforms to arrange high-level meetings.

The parties agreed on the importance of cooperation within the framework of the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative and exploring new formats of collaboration.

On the same day, the Turkmen delegation met with Björn Söder, Head of the Friendship Group for Central Asia in the Riksdag (Parliament) of the Kingdom of Sweden, Head of the Swedish Delegation to the OSCE PA.

During the meeting, the parties noted mutual willingness to develop inter-parliamentary cooperation between Turkmenistan and Sweden. In this context, an agreement was reached to hold an online meeting between the Friendship Group of the two countries in October this year.

The sides also exchanged views on the development of cooperation in the fields of culture and education. The parties agreed to explore the possibility of organizing reciprocal days of culture in the two countries. 

On 4 September, the Turkmen delegation met with the Director General for Euro-Atlantic Affairs and Security Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Torbjörn Solström.

During the talks, the Swedish side noted its interest in developing cooperation with Central Asian countries, including Turkmenistan. Among the main vectors, the sides identified parliamentary cooperation and collaboration within the framework of international organizations.

The sides agreed to explore the possibility of establishing cooperation in the sphere of ecology, energy, between business communities, as well as in culture and education.