PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Turkmenistan are committed to further enhancing their cooperation in various sectors, including oil and gas, through the establishment of a joint commission, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The commission will be pursued by both countries' Foreign Ministers next year.
"It is a pleasure to host the President of Turkmenistan, an important nation in Central Asia.
"Since former President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's visit in 2016, we've seen a strengthening of this collaboration, with Turkmenistan showing support for our industries, especially Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd," he said during a joint press conference today with Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedow after their bilateral talks.
Anwar also expressed gratitude to the Turkmenistan leader for his country's continued support of Malaysia.
"On behalf of the Malaysian government and people, I extend my appreciation. I assure the President that this collaboration will be meaningful for the mutual benefit and success of both countries," he said.
In a joint statement released after the meeting, both leaders stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations, which would contribute significantly to the friendship between the people of both nations.
They also agreed to continue close cooperation in regional and international organisations.
The leaders acknowledged Petronas' positive, long-term presence in Turkmenistan, reaffirming their commitment to building a robust partnership focused on the oil and gas industry, with the aim of fostering continued growth and prosperity.
The statement said that both countries were dedicated to exploring new opportunities for mutual benefit.
Anwar and Berdimuhamedow also agreed that the economic partnership between Turkmenistan and Malaysia had enormous potential and expressed readiness to develop it on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.
They also welcomed the mutual willingness to establish the Turkmen-Malaysian Business Council.
Earlier, the two leaders witnessed the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs): one on tourism, another between the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan (CCIT), and a third between the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia and CCIT.
They also witnessed the exchange of notes on several agreements, including the Petronas Protocol on Commercial Terms of New Block 1 Production Sharing Contract for the Turkmen Sector of the Caspian Sea, a Partial Visa Abolishment Agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, and an Air Services Agreement.
From January to October, Malaysia's trade with Turkmenistan saw a significant increase of 74.8 per cent, reaching RM63.28 million (USD13.90 million), compared to RM36.19 million (USD7.91 million) in the same period in 2023.
In 2023, Turkmenistan was Malaysia's fourth-largest trading partner among Central Asian nations, with total trade valued at RM48.62 million (USD10.57 million).