Foreign relations of Turkmenistan

A great deal of potential has always existed in Afghanistan-Turkmenistan relations. Turkmenistan has the fourth largest gas reserves and has been actively on the lookout to build transportation routes to large markets and the route through Afghanistan has been the most feasible and economical. The rise of India as an economic giant and its increasing energy needs make Turkmenistan and Central Asia energy markets of choice for that country and also China. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline (TAPI) has been one of the most important regional initiatives to be undertaken by these regional countries. The agreement to build the pipeline to transport Turkmen gas to Afghanistan and Pakistan and thereafter to India was signed in 2010.

In addition, Afghanistan depends on Turkmenistan for meeting a large part of the country's electricity needs. At present, Afghanistan imports more than 320 million kilowatt hours of electricity every year from Turkmenistan.

In 2011, Turkmenistan agreed to build a 150-km extension to a railway line which will connect the eastern part of Turkmenistan to Andkhoi border town in Faryab province of Afghanistan.

As of 1 April 2011, there were 44 enterprises with Afghan assets in Turkmenistan.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 24, 1994.[2]

• Formal relations were established in 1992
• Armenia has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Yerevan.
• Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
• There are between 30,000 and 44,000 people of Armenian descent living in Turkmenistan.

• Formal relations were established in 1992
• Belarus has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Minsk.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 September 1996.[3]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 4, 2017.[2]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on October 13, 2016.[4]

Diplomatic relations were established with the March 6, 1992 signing of the Protocol. France has an Embassy of Turkmenistan and Ashgabat has an Embassy of France. The French construction company «Bouygues», the second-largest in Turkmenistan, signed contracts for the construction of buildings. The French company «Thales Alenia Space» constructed the first space satellite Turkmen Sat.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 11, 1997.[2]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on February 13, 1997.[2]

Iran and Turkmenistan have had relations since Turkmenistan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Iran was the first nation to recognize Turkmenistan as an independent nation. Since then, the two countries have enjoyed good relations and have cooperated in economic, infrastructure, and energy sectors. Trade between the two nations surpasses one billion dollars and Iranians are the second-largest buyers of Turkmen commodities, mainly natural gas. The $139 million Korpeje-Kurt Kui gas pipeline in western Turkmenistan and the $167 million Dostluk (Friendship in Turkmen) Dam in the south of the country were built through a joint venture.

The Caspian Sea territorial boundaries is a cause of tension between the two. Iran's Islamic theocracy and Turkmenistan's secular dictatorship also prevent the development of a closer friendship.

Diplomatic relations between Japan and Turkmenistan were established in April 1992. Japan opened an embassy at Ashgabat in January 2005, and Turkmenistan opened an embassy in Tokyo in May 2013.[5]

• Kazakhstan has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Nur-Sultan.

• Mexico is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
• Turkmenistan is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 21, 1996.[2]

• Formal relations were established on May 10, 1992.
• Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognise the independence of Turkmenistan in December 1991. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence in 2001 Pakistan issued stamps bearing the flag of Turkmenistan.[6]

• Russia has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consulate-general in Türkmenbaşy.[7]
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Moscow.[8]

Recently, Russian-Turkmenistan relations have revolved around Russia's efforts to secure natural gas export deals from Turkmenistan. Russia is competing with China, the European Union, India and the United States for access to Turkmenistan's rich supply of hydrocarbons.[9] The two countries often lock horns over price negotiations for gas exports to Russia.[10][11] Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has agreed to help supply and expand the Russian-backed Pricaspiysky pipeline, however no action has yet occurred towards this goal.[12]

Establishment of diplomatic relations occurred on February 7, 1992.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 25, 1999.[2]

• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Ankara.
• Turkey has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Both countries are members of Economic Cooperation Organization, International Organization of Turkic Culture and OIC.
• Trade volume between the two countries was 1.35 billion USD in 2019 (Turkmen exports/imports: 601/745 million USD.[14]
• Turkey became the first state to recognize the Republic of Turkmenistan on October 27, 1991.[13]

The similarity or coincidence of the positions of the two countries on key issues of international politics, in particular on global security issues, promotes the development of active cooperation between Ukraine and Turkmenistan within the framework of international and regional organizations, primarily such as the UN and the OSCE.

In recent years, Ukrainian-Turkmen relations have been characterized by a very intensive political dialogue at all levels.

An intensive political dialogue positively affects bilateral trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Business entities of Ukraine are involved in the construction of infrastructure facilities of national importance in the territory of Turkmenistan, the construction of complex engineering communications, oil and gas, industrial and transportation facilities, export products of various purposes to Turkmenistan, provide services and the like.

The nature of Ukrainian-Turkmen political relations testifies to the existence of significant potential, the implementation of which will contribute to the further development and strengthening of mutually beneficial partnership.

• The United Kingdom has an embassy in Ashgabat.[15]
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in London.[16]

The United States and Turkmenistan continue to disagree about the latter country's path toward democratic and economic reform. The United States has publicly advocated industrial privatization, market liberalization, and fiscal reform, as well as legal and regulatory reforms to open up the economy to foreign trade and investment, as the best way to achieve prosperity and true independence and sovereignty.

• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Washington, D.C.
• The United States embassy, USAID, and the Peace Corps are located in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Tashkent.
• Uzbekistan has an embassy in Ashgabat.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 22, 1999.[2]