ISLAMABAD  -  President Asif Ali Zardari has called for an early fi­nalization of the Transit Trade Agreement (TTA) with Turkmenistan to further boost the bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries. 

He said that the agreement, once signed, would help expand trade, promote regional connectivity as well as enhance economic activities in the re­gion. The President expressed these views while talking to the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pa­kistan, Mr Atadjan Movlamov, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Monday. 

The Ambassador congratulated the President on assuming the office of the President for the second time. Both the sides expressed the desire for the early completion of the TAPI Gas Pipeline, which would not only support Pakistan’s economy but would also help meet its energy needs.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the President said that Pakistan attached special value to its bilater­al relations with Turkmenistan due to the centu­ries-old historical, religious and cultural links and wished to increase high-level exchanges to give fresh impetus to bilateral ties. He expressed Pa­kistan’s desire to work with Turkmenistan to fur­ther enhance mutually beneficial cooperation. The President highlighted that the existing volume of trade between the two countries needed to be im­proved for the mutual benefit of the two countries. 

He fondly recalled his visit to Turkmenistan during his first term as President in 2010 to par­ticipate in the TAPI Summit as well as the 4th In­ternational Nauroze Festival in 2013.

The Ambassador conveyed the warm greetings of the Turkmen President, Serdar Berdimuhame­dov, and former President Gurbanguly Berdimu­hamedov to President Asif Ali Zardari on his elec­tion. He said that the Transit Trade Agreement was not only important for both friendly countries but also for the region as it would generate huge transit trade activities.

The President expressed warm wishes for the leadership of Turkmenistan and thanked them for their felicitation message on his election.