ASHGABAT, December 12. /TASS/. Turkmenistan is committed to developing strategic partnership with Russia, the president of the Central Asian republic, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, has said.

“Relations with Russia both in a bilateral format and also in the framework of international organizations produce good results and reflect the vital interests of both countries,” the president told a government meeting on Thursday.

“We will further expand friendly relations with Russia in various directions,” he stressed.

The Turkmen leader also prioritized strategic cooperation with China. “Currently China is our large foreign trade partner, and the relations with it are built on a mutually beneficial and long-term basis,” he said

Beijing buys over 25 billion cubic meters of gas per year from Turkmenistan, one of the world’s largest gas producers. By 2020, the gas supplies to China under a long-term contract are due to increase to up to 65 billion cubic meters. Russia and Iran buy some 10 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas per year.

The president said development of cooperation in the international energy sphere is one of the key priorities of the country’s foreign economic policy. He also called for continuing cooperation with the Caspian littoral states, including Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

“We will fulfill the initiatives we have proposed and work on elaborating new multi-party documents in trade and economic, and transport cooperation in the Caspian,” he said.