The situation in Afghanistan and further steps to intensify regional cooperation in order to maintain peace and stability in the region were discussed on Thursday at a meeting between President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi, who is on a visit to Turkmenistan, the website of the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan reports.

 Having conveyed warm greetings from the top leadership of Pakistan to the head of Turkmen state, Shah Mehmood Qureshi reaffirmed the commitment of the Pakistani side to strengthening political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties with Turkmenistan.

 On the same day, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan held a meeting at the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan, during which a special emphasis was placed on the intensification of foreign policy cooperation in the context of the development of the situation in Afghanistan.

 In this regard, the diplomats confirmed the interest of Turkmenistan and Pakistan in the internal political stability and security of Afghanistan, as well as the well-being of the Afghan people.

 The parties noted the need to establish a regional dialogue taking into account the past experience of the two countries.  At the same time, the Turkmen side declared its firm adherence to the principles of neutrality in the course of developing the processes of regional contacts on Afghanistan.

 The diplomats also exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral cooperation.  In this context, the importance of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, the construction of a high-voltage power transmission line along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) route and official Islamabad's support for their implementation in the future was especially emphasized.