Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have pledged to deepen parliamentary cooperation, boost bilateral trade and expand cultural exchanges during a meeting between senior officials in Dushanbe.

Rustam Emomali, chairman of Tajikistan’s National Assembly of the Supreme Assembly and mayor of Dushanbe, met with Dunyagozel Gulmanova, chairperson of Turkmenistan’s Mejlis, who arrived in Tajikistan to attend the Fourth Inter-Parliamentary Forum of Central Asian States, according to Khovar.

The talks focused on the current state of friendly relations and prospects for strengthening the two countries’ strategic partnership, with particular emphasis on inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Both sides welcomed the constructive nature of bilateral relations and highlighted the role of their respective heads of state in advancing the strategic partnership.

The meeting also noted that friendship and cooperation groups with Turkmenistan’s Mejlis had been established within Tajikistan’s parliament. The officials stressed the importance of expanding parliamentary engagement and taking cooperation to a new level.

Economic ties were another key focus. The sides emphasized the need to make fuller use of their countries’ economic potential to expand trade and economic cooperation and increase bilateral trade turnover.

They also expressed interest in broadening cultural and humanitarian exchanges to strengthen ties between the two nations.