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New president placing Turkmenistan on the geopolitical map
Latest developments spotlight that Turkmenistan is rising in significance, with new President Serdar Berdymukhamedov venturing out for his first overseas journeys to Russia and Iran since he changed his father, Gurbanguly, in March. The nation is more and more changing into a transit level for a major collection of relationships between Moscow and Tehran.
Turkmen society is uniquely divided into a number of region-based ethnic clans. The western a part of the nation is totally different from the jap half. The realm round Mary is of a distinct social texture than Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Beach. Essential Islamic ruins in Mary are prone to grow to be a significant religio-cultural attraction underneath the brand new president. There’s a new dynamic rising that’s vital for logistics and near-term financial cooperation between Ashgabat’s two principal accomplice nations.
The 40-year-old Turkmen chief was in Moscow final month, when he obtained the Order of Friendship from Russian President Vladimir Putin for his “nice contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and Turkmenistan.” This was fairly an award for Berdymukhamedov, with notable significance for the bilateral relationship between the 2 nations.
Importantly, Putin famous that: “Russia respects the impartial standing of Turkmenistan in addition to the need of the nation’s management to advertise sustainable and secure growth within the Central Asian area and on this planet as an entire.” This illustrates Turkmenistan’s shut ties to Russia. With the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow continues to reveal its potential to uncoil efficiently in key spots, together with the realm surrounding the Kopet Dag mountain vary on the Turkmen-Iranian border.
Berdymukhamedov and Putin signed 15 cooperation paperwork, together with a declaration increasing their nations’ strategic partnership. As well as, Turkmenistan is now arguing for bilateral and five-party cooperation to make preparations for a summit assembly of the Caspian Sea states in Ashgabat. The opposite topics mentioned throughout the leaders’ assembly included developments in Afghanistan. These talks have been about safety and logistics. As is also seen within the Turkmen president’s go to to Tehran this week, the summit and ensuing agreements have been about commerce development that matches into Russia’s logistical plan. Russian firms reminiscent of Gazprom, Lukoil, Tatneft, Transmashholding and United Shipbuilding Company all function within the nation.
Berdymukhamedov’s go to to Iran resulted in very related agreements specializing in development in bilateral relations and logistics. Nevertheless, it’s obligatory to grasp that the Ashgabat-Tehran relationship shouldn’t be new, it has been ongoing for many years, even throughout the Soviet interval. For fairly a while, Turkmenistan and Iran have been cooperating on border agreements, in addition to on fuel shipped from the Caspian into Iran. Pure fuel swaps are additionally widespread between the 2 nations. Turkmenistan’s safety pursuits alongside the border between the 2 nations crosses many alternative geographic zones, with crossing factors at Sarakhs, for instance. These roads result in Iran’s holy metropolis of Mashhad.
There’s a new dynamic rising that’s vital for logistics and near-term financial cooperation between Russia and Iran
Dr. Theodore Karasik
In Tehran, Berdymukhamedov met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The 2 leaders signed 9 paperwork throughout a broad vary of subjects. One useful final result of the talks was the institution of the joint Tehran-Ashgabat Commerce Middle as a part of the preferential commerce settlement between the 2 nations. A discount in tariffs is now being drawn as much as increase commerce.
The Turkmen president additionally met with Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei, who underlined the Iranian authorities’s dedication to strengthening relations with the neighboring nation. Nevertheless, Khamenei warned that pleasant relations between Iran and Turkmenistan have opponents on the regional and worldwide ranges, in reference to Center Japanese and Western pursuits.
Iran has additionally began a pilot logistics undertaking with Russia and India, often called the Worldwide North-South Transport Hall. The hall this week welcomed its first lorries from Russia which can be headed to India through Iran. The expansion of this route will probably be enhanced by Turkmenistan’s relationships with these nations. Indian pursuits in Turkmenistan are additionally decades-old, particularly in regard to the safety concern in Afghanistan. A lot of this transport exercise is tied to the brand new Taliban authorities, with logistics routes seen as a strategy to preserve issues calm in Afghanistan if want be.
There are just a few different factors of curiosity in Turkmenistan’s new hub-like standing. Berdymukhamedov’s relationship with Kazakhstan can also be key to the transit strains which can be being put into place from Iran. And Nur-Sultan is interested by constructing a grain storage terminal on Turkmenistan’s border with Afghanistan. This might guarantee Kazakh wheat exporters had easy accessibility to the vital markets to the south. Thus, the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan axis is coming into sharper reduction in the intervening time, as Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev explores methods to reinforce transportation routes to and from Russia.
There was little or no dialogue of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline, which is but to be constructed. Pakistan continues to be “out” when it comes to being a participant. And with Indian pursuits rising in Central Asia whereas Pakistan’s political panorama is askew, New Delhi is nicely positioned.
As well as, Turkey has main company and monetary pursuits in Turkmenistan, which can be a constructive growth over time, particularly if Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wins reelection in 2023.
General, Berdymukhamedov is displaying that Russia and Iran are key companions. And the brand new Turkmen president is planning extra worldwide journey to beef up his nation’s new-found significance as a logistics hub and fuel producer. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is definitely benefiting the event of those new transit ties — a proven fact that places the Turkmen chief and his companions throughout the scope of doable Western sanctions.
• Dr. Theodore Karasik is a senior adviser to Gulf State Analytics in Washington, D.C. Twitter: @tkarasik
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers on this part are their very own and don’t essentially mirror Arab Information’ perspective
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