President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was on a working visit to Hungary to take part in the ceremonial events of the World Championships in Athletics, held in Budapest, and the celebrations of the country’s national holiday – St. Stephen's Day.
This visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, paid at the invitation of the Hungarian Prime Minister, is another effective step towards the progressive development of the constructive interstate dialogue, which in the modern era has been given a new impetus and content.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries are known to have been established in 1992. Since that time, the cooperation between Turkmenistan and Hungary, based on the ties of friendship and mutual goodwill, has been constantly strengthening. At the same time, contacts at the highest and governmental levels are of particular importance. In this regard, the official visits of the President of Hungary to Turkmenistan in 2011 and of the President of Turkmenistan to Hungary in 2014 became important events in the history of the interstate relations.
The invariable commitment of the two countries to the course of further building up the mutually beneficial partnership was confirmed during the talks held on June 9 this year between President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who paid an official visit to Ashgabat. As a result of the meeting, the agenda of which included a wide range of issues of the Turkmen-Hungarian cooperation, important agreements were reached, and a solid package of documents, aimed at enhancing the fruitful interaction across its entire spectrum with a view to the future, was signed.
Priority areas of the bilateral partnership were also considered at the meeting of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on June 8 with the Head of the Hungarian Government. The subject of a thorough exchange of views was a possibility of diversifying traditional cooperation built on a parity and mutually respectful basis.
Implementing its foreign-policy strategy based on the principles of positive neutrality and peacefulness, Turkmenistan is always open to an equal and constructive dialogue with all interested foreign partners, including European ones. In this regard, the recent talks in Ashgabat and the current visit of the President of Turkmenistan to Budapest are vivid evidence of the desire of the two countries to optimally use the existing potential for cooperation and to develop an algorithm for its further development at the new historical stage.
In continuation of the topic, it should be noted that there are ample opportunities for intensifying the Turkmen-Hungarian cooperation in the trade and economic sphere, increasing the volume of trade, enhancing partnerships in various sectors, establishing effective contacts between business structures, in the investment segment and through industrial cooperation and implementing joint projects. In this aspect, a significant role is assigned to the joint Intergovernmental Commission, whose activities are intended to contribute to the achievement of concrete results.
An integral component of the interstate relations is the humanitarian sphere, where the connecting factor is the historical and cultural commonality of the two peoples. There are great opportunities here to deepen the traditional ties in the fields of education, science and culture and to build up contacts in the field of sports.
Along with the above, Turkmenistan and Hungary are successfully interacting in the political and diplomatic sphere, including a multilateral format, within the framework of the United Nations and other authoritative international structures, demonstrating the coincidence or similarity of positions on topical issues of regional and global issues. All this testifies to the focus of both countries on the full-scale cooperation that meets the interests of common wellbeing.
...After making a flight to Budapest, the presidential airliner landed at Ferenc Liszt International Airport in the capital. There, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov was met by officials.
Then the Head of Turkmenistan proceeded to the residence of the Prime Minister of Hungary. There, at the main entrance, the Head of the Hungarian Government Viktor Orban cordially greeted the distinguished guest.
After the traditional joint photographing against the background of the State Flags of Turkmenistan and Hungary, a meeting between President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Prime Minister Viktor Orban took place. It was held in an extended format, with the participation of representatives of the delegations of the two countries.
Once again cordially welcoming the distinguished guest, the Head of the Hungarian Government thanked the Head of the Turkmenistan for accepting the invitation to visit Budapest. It was noted that Prime Minister Viktor Orban recalled with great warmth his recent official visit to Ashgabat, during which important agreements had been reached. Appropriate steps are currently being taken for their practical implementation. Taking the opportunity, the Head of the Hungarian Government conveyed greetings and best wishes to the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Stressing that Hungary saw a good friend and reliable partner in Turkmenistan, Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed confidence that the first visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to Budapest would serve to the further dynamic development of the bilateral relations.
Expressing sincere gratitude for the invitation to visit Hungary to participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the National Holiday, St. Stephen’s Day, and the World Championships in Athletics and for the warm welcome, the President of the Turkmen state congratulated Prime Minister Viktor Orban and, in his person, all the people of the friendly country with these significant events. Expressing his best wishes in this regard, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov conveyed heartfelt greetings and a Congratulatory Message from the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Head of the Hungarian Government.
Noting with satisfaction the high level of the Turkmen-Hungarian relations, the Head of Turkmenistan stressed the official visit of Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Ashgabat in June that year had given a significant impetus to the bilateral cooperation. The effectiveness of the talks held in the Turkmen capital is evidenced by the signed solid package of documents aimed at intensifying partnerships in a number of promising sectors of the economy and in the cultural and humanitarian field. Today, Turkmenistan and Hungary are working to implement the agreements reached to meet common interests.
In continuation of the meeting, energy was named among the key priority areas for the mutual application of efforts. Here, Turkmenistan, which has extremely rich in hydrocarbon resources, is implementing a strategy for diversifying energy flows, advocating the development of mutually beneficial cooperation based on equal consideration of the interests of producers, consumers and transit countries. In this context, it was noted that the European vector had been and remained one of the priorities for our state, always ready for effective cooperation with foreign partners, both on a bilateral and a multilateral basis.
As it was emphasised, Hungary fully supported the peaceful foreign-policy strategy of neutral Turkmenistan and its constructive initiatives to ensure global security, stability and sustainable development, put forward from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly and other international structures. It was noted that the Hungarian party also highly appreciated the energy policy, pursued by our country and based on the principles of diversification and equal cooperation, and was interested in productive cooperation in that direction.
Among other promising vectors of cooperation, transport, industry, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and a number of other sectors were identified.
Along with this, great importance is attached to the deepening of the Turkmen-Hungarian humanitarian ties. In this aspect, the stimulation of mutually beneficial contacts in the field of sports will also contribute to the enrichment of the content of the traditional bilateral relations.
The commitment of Turkmenistan and Hungary to their constructive partnership within the framework of authoritative international organisations, primarily the UN, was confirmed.
At the end of the meeting, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed confidence in the further successful development of the fruitful interstate dialogue, addressing the wishes of wellbeing and prosperity to the peoples of both countries.
In the afternoon, the Head of Turkmenistan proceeded to the National Athletics Centre. On the arena of the new sports complex, built on the eastern bank of the Danube, these days the 19th World Championships in Athletics, a sport that is very popular on the planet, are being held.
The competition, which started on August 19, brought together more than 2,000 athletes from 200 countries. The capital of Hungary, Budapest, hosts the World Championships in Athletics for the first time. This is the 19th tournament organised under the auspices of World Athletics.
It is noteworthy that the history of athletics roots in the depth of millennia. It is generally accepted that it began with the running competitions at the Olympic Games of Ancient Greece (776 BC). In the modern era, athletics is one of the main and mass sports, combining a number of disciplines, including running, walking, jumping, throwing and all-around.
The wide development of athletics is associated with the revival of the Olympic Games (1896), in which it was given the most important place. And today, the Olympiads are a powerful stimulus for this sport all over the world.
As for the World Championships in Athletics, they have been held since 1983. Since 1991, these competitions have been organised every two years.
In this regard, it should be noted that the visit of the President of Turkmenistan to the world championships in one of the most spectacular sports is another evidence of the unremitting attention paid in our country to the stimulation and development of the sports movement and the strengthening of fruitful international cooperation in this area.
As a result of the large-scale activities of the Head of State Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the national sport has now reached qualitatively new frontiers. Turkmenistan is taking consistent steps to widely popularise physical culture and sports and to strengthen the principles of a healthy and active lifestyle in society. Systematic work in this direction has acquired the character of a long-term national programme.
In the capital and regions of the country, sports complexes that meet international standards and sports schools, equipped according to modern requirements, have been built. A number of specialised facilities are part of the infrastructure of the Olympic Complex located in Ashgabat, where all conditions have been created for practicing various sports, including athletics. In 2017, the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and in 2018, the World Weightlifting Championship were successfully held on the arenas of this universal sports complex.
Excellent opportunities for physical culture and sports, in particular, aquatic kinds have been created in the Avaza national tourism zone on the ecologically clean Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea. It should be reminded that in 2014, the stage of the Windsurfing World Cup, with which Turkmenistan entered the calendar of international sailing tournaments for the first time, was held there. Thus, our Motherland has solid experience, a potential and a necessary infrastructure for organising and holding major competitions at the regional and global levels.
The country provides everything necessary for the effective training and competition of athletes, training highly qualified coaches and other specialists, educating a new generation of athletes and forming an Olympic reserve. The visible results of the implementation of the far-sighted strategy, initiated by the Hero-Arkadag and now being implemented under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in this area, are remarkable achievements and victories of Turkmen athletes who actively participate in international competitions, constantly replenishing the treasury of awards. All this contributes to raising the authority of Turkmenistan on the world stage and increasing the prestige of the Motherland as a sports power.
Today, more and more Turkmen citizens are involved in physical culture and sports. In this, the head of state sets an inspiring example for compatriots, especially young people. President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who is the Honoured Coach of Turkmenistan and President of the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan, regularly participates in mass sports events organised in our country.
Sport is a living embodiment of strength, beauty, health, energy and harmony and, at the same time, a symbol of peace, friendship and good neighbourliness among peoples. The topic of cooperation in the field of sports is invariably the subject of interested discussion during the foreign visits of the President of Turkmenistan. For its part, our neutral Motherland makes a concrete contribution to the development of the international sports and Olympic movement, which is an important factor that unites people around enduring humanistic values.
The invitation of the Head of Turkmenistan to take part in the ceremonial events of the 19th World Championships in Athletics is evidence of the high international prestige of Turkmenistan and recognition of its significant contribution to the strengthening of peace and the development of friendly relations among countries and peoples of the planet.
Upon arrival at the National Athletics Centre of Budapest, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov was again warmly welcomed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
There, the Head of Turkmenistan, together with other distinguished guests, became a spectator of one of the most exciting competitions – the final 100-metre race among men. Competitions of athletes at this sprint distance always arouse great interest of sports fans. At world championships and the Olympic Games, the strongest athletes of the planet compete for the title of champion in the finals of the 100-metre race.
On behalf of the Hungarian party, a solemn reception was given for the distinguished guests on the occasion of the National holiday of Hungary – St. Stephen’s Day, annually celebrated on August 20.
Upon completion of the programme of the working visit, the President of Turkmenistan proceeded to Ferenc Liszt International Airport of Budapest, from where he left for his Motherland.