ASHGABAT, December 27. /TASS/. The friendly cooperation between Turkmenistan and Russia will continue to strengthen on a mutually advantageous basis in the long term, the former Soviet republic’s official newspaper, Neitralny Turkmenistan, quoted Russian Ambassador to Ashgabat Ivan Volynkin as saying.

The Russian envoy met Turkmen leader Serdar Berdymukhamedov at Ashgabat Airport upon his return from Tuesday’s informal CIS summit which was held in St. Petersburg, the daily wrote. According to Volynkin, the Turkmen president’s participation in the meeting was evidence of productively developing interstate relations based on the principles of mutual respect and equality as well as the common spiritual and moral values shared by the peoples of CIS member countries.

Russia appreciates the fruitful relationship with Turkmenistan as it attaches great importance to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the spheres of politics, diplomacy, trade, economy, culture and humanitarian issues. He also pointed to the availability of a large potential for intensifying productive contacts across key fields further.