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The President decorated Mr Berdimuhamedov with the Order for Service to the Fatherland, IV degree.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Berdimuhamedov,

I am happy to see you. Today, you are visiting Russia in a new capacity, which is different compared to what we have grown used to when we worked together all these years. That said, we are always glad to see you in Russia no matter your capacity because you have made a huge contribution to promoting bilateral ties between our countries. This applies to our relations in all areas, including both the humanitarian and economic dimensions. It is with your personal and direct involvement that Russia-Turkmenistan relations reached a very high level of a strategic partnership, just short of becoming an allied relationship.

We pride ourselves on the results we have achieved together over the years under your leadership. I would like to note that you gave a very good impetus to developing our relations, and this momentum has been maintained under the new president [Serdar Berdimuhamedov]. We have established very good relations with him on a personal level, and there has been a lot of positive momentum in the relations between our countries lately. Of course, you were the one who laid the foundation for this. We expect Turkmenistan to maintain its traditional policy toward Russia as formed under your leadership.

With all this in mind, we decided to award a Russian state decoration, the Order for Service to the Fatherland, IV degree, to you. This is a very high decoration testifying to the contribution you made to promoting our interstate relations.

We are very happy to see you in Moscow. Welcome.

Chairman of the People's Council of National Assembly of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov: Mr President,

Allow me to express my most sincere gratitude to you for providing such a good opportunity to meet with you. Right at the outset, I would like to convey the warmest greetings and best wishes from the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

As you very nicely said, Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation are strategic partners, and this has been proven by life and time. Our friendship grows stronger and expands from year to year; that is, it always grows progressively.

As you know, we have recently stepped up inter-parliamentary exchanges with our colleagues and legislative assemblies. I would like to note that we have signed a historic document during this visit, the agreement establishing an inter-parliamentary commission on cooperation. This is also part of the logic and underlying idea of our strategy to strengthen the friendship between our countries. And we will continue moving in this direction, as befits us.

Mr President,

It is also a great honour for me – I would even say it is one of those rare days in a person’s life, a historic and significant day for me – that you awarded to me a very high state decoration of the Russian Federation, the Order For Service to the Fatherland, IV degree. This is a symbol of the ties that truly exist between the peoples of Turkmenistan and Russia, and once again proves that we have maintained neighbourly ties, cooperation, and the entire scope of bilateral relations. And, of course, it is gratifying that you and I have probably made some historic contribution to our common issues.

If I may, I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely and cordially extend my best wishes on your recent birthday. I certainly wish you the best of health, great success in your state activities – and through you, to wish all the best to the people of Russia.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

All the best to the President of Turkmenistan.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov: Thank you.

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