ASHGABAT (TURKMENISTAN), June 10 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak arrived here Monday for a two-day official visit to further strengthen the existing close bilateral relations and cooperation between Malaysia and Turkmenistan. The private aircraft carrying Najib and wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor touched down at the Ashgabat International Airport at 6.45pm local time (9.45pm Malaysian time).
They were received on arrival by Turkmenistan’s Vice-Premier for Oil and Gas Khodjomuhommedow Bajmurad and Turkmenistan chief of state protocol Mohamed-durdyew Serdar. Also present were Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and wife, Datin Seri Rubiah Abdul Samad and Malaysian Ambassador to Turkmenistan Norman Muhamad and wife, Kamsiah Kamaruddin.
A Turkmenistan girl, Jennet, 11, presented a bouquet of flowers to Rosmah, followed by a Turkmenistan boy, Dowlet, also 11, who presented Turkmenistan bread, ‘chorek’ to Najib and Rosmah as a sign of hospitality to the Central Asian country.
Najib and Rosmah took a bite of the bread to show their appreciation. Najib’s visit to Turkmenistan is at the invitation of Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. His first visit was from July 11 to 12, 2011.
Later, upon arrival at the Yyldyz Hotel where they will be staying, Najib and Rosmah were greeted by Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz and members of the Malaysian delegation, embassy and Petronas officials.
On Tuesday, after the official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Najib is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with Berdimuhamedov, to be followed by a delegation meeting between Malaysia and Turkmenistan.
Later, they will witness the signing of five documents, including the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on education cooperation and MoU on long-term cooperation between Petronas and State Agency in Charge of Hydrocarbon.
According to Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra), the visit represents a continuing initiative by Malaysia to further strengthen the existing close bilateral relations with Turkmenistan.
– BERNAMA
