President Sheikh Mohamed meets Turkmenistan's leader

President Sheikh Mohamed underlined the UAE's commitment to building “strong and effective international partnerships” after holding talks with Turkmen counterpart, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

The leaders were present for the signing of agreements between the nations.

Mr Berdimuhamedow also met Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in the capital.

“I was pleased to meet Serdar Berdimuhamedow, the President of Turkmenistan, and witness the announcement of several memorandums of understanding between our two nations,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on Twitter.

“The UAE is committed to building strong and effective international partnerships based on shared interests.”

The high-level meeting came after Mr Berdimuhamedow, who assumed the presidency in March, was invited to visit the Emirates by Sheikh Mohamed.

The invitation was made when Turkmenistan's leader hosted Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, at the Presidential Palace in Ashgabat in July.

The Ruler of Dubai spoke of the UAE's commitment to forging close links with Central Asian countries.

“Our relations with the countries of Central Asia are constantly developing, and our investments with them are increasing, and our airlines link us with them commercially, economically and in tourism,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on Twitter.

“We look forward to greater and wider governmental co-operation.”

Turkmenistan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The landlocked country has a population of about 6.1 million.