Turkey, Turkmenistan sign action plan

Meeting in Ashkabat, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov yesterday signed an action plan outlining cooperative bilateral activities for the next two years. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Davutoglu wished the Turkmen people a good Neutrality Day, celebrated yesterday in the ex-Soviet republic. Davutoglu also met with President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on Saturday. Davutoglu and Berdymukhamedov expressed confidence that their countries will further improve relations based on mutual interests. Earlier on Saturday, speaking at a conference marking the 15th anniversary of the neutrality of the land-locked Central Asian republic, Davutoglu said Turkmenistan and Central Asia carry strategic importance for the stability of the Euro-Atlantic region. Berdymukhamedov, speaking at the same conference, stressed the importance of his country's ties with Turkey. In September, at the 10th summit of Turkic-speaking countries in Istanbul, Berdymukhamedov was among the participants declaring a firm will for building regional peace, stability and welfare through a new cooperation council of Turkic-speaking states.