Foreign relations of Turkmenistan

See Afghanistan–Turkmenistan relations

Afghanistan has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consulate in Mary. Turkmenistan has an embassy in Kabul plus consulates in Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.^[4][5] The rise of India as an economic giant and its increasing energy needs make Turkmenistan and Central Asia energy markets of choice for that country and also China. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline (TAPI) has been one of the most important regional initiatives to be undertaken by these countries. The agreement to build the pipeline to transport Turkmen gas to Afghanistan and Pakistan and beyond to India was signed in 2010. In addition, Afghanistan depends on Turkmenistan for meeting a large part of the country's electricity needs. At present, Afghanistan imports more than 320 million kilowatt hours of electricity every year from Turkmenistan.

In 2011, Turkmenistan agreed to build a 150-km extension to a railway line to connect the rail line to Serhetabat to Andkhoy in Faryab province, Afghanistan. In February 2018, the existing rail line between Serhetabat and Torghundi in Afghanistan was restored to service.^[6][7] This line is planned to be extended to Herat, where it could potentially connect to a rail line under construction from Khaf, Iran.^[8] The line to Andkhoy went into service in January 2021.

In 2013, work began on a link from Kerki via Ymamnazar on the Turkmen-Afghan border to Aqina in Andkhoy District. This link was opened in November 2016.^[9] It was extended 38 km to Andkhoy in January 2021,^[10] and is intended eventually to become part of a railway corridor through northern Afghanistan, linking it via Sherkhan Bandar, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kunduz to Tajikistan.

As of 1 April 2011, there were 44 enterprises with Afghan assets in Turkmenistan.

Though Turkmenistan has not recognized the Taliban's state, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, it has facilitated the Taliban's appointment of diplomats to the Afghan Embassy in Ashgabat. The current chargé d'affaires is Fazal Muhammad Sabir, appointed in March 2022.^[11][12][13]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 24, 1994.^[14]

• Formal relations were established in 1992
• Armenia has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Yerevan.
• Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
• There are between 30,000 and 44,000 people of Armenian descent living in Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan has an embassy in Vienna, which doubles as the permanent mission to United Nations agencies in Vienna.

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Despite close linguistic affinities (Turkmen and Azerbaijani are about 65 percent mutually intelligible), Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan suffer from a strained relationship, in part because Turkmenistan is majority Sunni and Azerbaijan is majority Shi'a. Nonetheless the two countries have begun to cooperate more in commercial spheres, most notably with signing of a memorandum in 2020 on joint exploitation of the cross-boundary Serdar oil field in the Caspian.

• Formal relations were established in 1993
• Belarus has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Minsk.

Roughly 12,000 to 13,000 Turkmen university students are matriculated annually in Belarusian institutions of higher education.

The countries established diplomatic relations on 11 September 1996.^[15]

• Bulgaria is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Moscow, Russia.
• Turkmenistan is accredited to Bulgaria from its embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 April 1995.

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. The relationship is dominated by China's position as the largest importer by far of natural gas from Turkmenistan, making China Turkmenistan's largest source of foreign exchange earnings. China offers free higher education to several hundred Turkmen students each year.

The countries established diplomatic relations on July 4, 2017.^[14]

Both countries established diplomatic relations on October 13, 2016.^[16]

Diplomatic relations were established with the March 6, 1992 signing of the Protocol. Turkmenistan has an embassy in Paris and France has an embassy in Ashgabat. The French construction company Bouygues, the second-largest in Turkmenistan, has signed many construction contracts. The French company Thales Alenia Space constructed the first space satellite TürkmenÄlem 52°E / MonacoSAT.

Georgia has an embassy in Ashgabat, and Turkmenistan has an embassy in Tbilisi.^[5][4][17]

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Turkmenistan have a consulate in Frankfurt am Main. Two German banks, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, have offices in Ashgabat, since much of Turkmenistan's foreign exchange accounts are held in those two German banks. Such German firms as Siemens and Claas have made significant sales of medical and agricultural equipment, respectively, to Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan Air offers scheduled service to Frankfurt am Main.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 11, 1997.^[14]

The Vatican maintains a nunciature in Ashgabat, although the nuncio is resident in Ankara. The Turkmen ambassador in Rome is multiple-accredited, including to the Holy See.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on February 13, 1997.^[14]

India and Turkmenistan have embassies in each other's capitals. Turkmenistan Airlines used to operate flights between Ashgabat and both New Delhi and Amritsar, which connect in Ashgabat to flights to London and Birmingham. India is a destination for medical tourism by middle-class Turkmen. To some degree the relationship is framed by Turkmenistan's desire to export natural gas to India via the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline.

Iran and Turkmenistan have had relations since Turkmenistan's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Iran has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consulate in Mary. Turkmenistan has an embassy in Teheran and a consulate in Mashhad.^[5] Iran was the second nation to recognize Turkmenistan as an independent nation.^[4] Since then, the two countries have cooperated in the economic, infrastructure, and energy sectors. The $139 million Korpeje-Kurt Kui gas pipeline in western Turkmenistan and the $167 million Dostluk ("friendship" in Turkmen) Dam in the south of the country were built through a joint venture. The Caspian Sea territorial boundaries are a cause of tension between the two. Iran's Islamic theocracy and Turkmenistan's secular dictatorship also prevent the development of a closer friendship.

Israel has an embassy in Ashgabat.

Italy and Turkmenistan have embassies in each other's capitals. The Turkmen ambassador in Rome is also accredited to the United Nations agencies there, and to the Holy See. The relationship is dominated by the presence of Italian petroleum firm Eni, which operates oil wells in the Caspian Sea under a production sharing agreement.

Diplomatic relations between Japan and Turkmenistan were established in April 1992. Japan opened an embassy at Ashgabat in January 2005, and Turkmenistan opened an embassy in Tokyo in May 2013.^[18] Japan is heavily involved in operation of the Oguz Han Engineering Technology University in Ashgabat. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has financed several major industrial projects in Turkmenistan, including plants constructed with participation of Kawasaki and Sumitomo.

• Kazakhstan has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consulate in Turkmenbashy.
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Astana and a consulate in Aktau.
• During a meeting in October 2023, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan released a statement affirming their strategic partnership and cooperation. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov issued the statement during a meeting in Ashgabat on 30 October 2023.^[19]

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals.

Libya maintains an economic and commercial office rather than an embassy in Ashgabat.

Turkmen-Malaysian relations mainly revolve around the work of the Malaysian state petroleum corporation, Petronas, which extracts petroleum condensate in the Caspian Sea. Turkmenistan Airlines offers scheduled service between Ashgabat and Kuala Lumpur.

• Mexico is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
• Turkmenistan is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.

• Netherlands is represented in Turkmenistan through its embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan.
• Turkmenistan is represented in Netherlands through its embassy in Brussels, Belgium.

The countries established diplomatic relations on June 21, 1996.^[14]

• Formal relations were established on May 10, 1992. The countries have embassies in each other's capitals.
• To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence in 2001 Pakistan issued stamps bearing the flag of Turkmenistan.^[20]

• Palestine has an embassy in Ashgabat.

• Poland is represented in Turkmenistan through its embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Turkmenistan is represented in Poland through its embassy in Berlin, Germany.

Qatar has an embassy in Ashgabat. Turkmenistan has no permanent diplomatic representation in Doha

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Romania's primary interest is development of the Lapis Lazuli corridor, which would use Romanian seaports on the Black Sea.

• Russia has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consular office in Türkmenbaşy.^[21][4]
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Moscow and consulates in Astrakhan and Kazan.^[22][5]

Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Ashgabat, and Turkmenistan has an embassy in Riyadh.

Diplomatic relations were established on February 7, 1992. The countries have embassies in each other's capitals.^[4][5] South Korean firms such as Hyundai and LG have won major contracts for building industrial plants.

• Spain is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Moscow, Russia.
• Turkmenistan is accredited to Spain from its embassy in Moscow, Russia.

The countries established diplomatic relations on June 25, 1999.^[15]

Turkmenistan maintains a diplomatic mission in Geneva, which doubles as its embassy to Switzerland and is permanent representative to United Nations agencies in Geneva as well as to the World Trade Organization. The Swiss ambassador in Baku is accredited to Turkmenistan.

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals.

• Turkey was the first state to recognize the Republic of Turkmenistan on October 27, 1991.^[23][15]
• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate in Istanbul
• Turkey has an embassy in Ashgabat.
• Both countries are members of Economic Cooperation Organization, International Organization of Turkic Culture and OIC.
• Trade volume between the two countries was 1.35 billion USD in 2019 (Turkmen exports/imports: 601/745 million USD.^[24] Turkish firms Çalık Holding, Polimeks, Rönesans, GAP Inşaat and Tepe Inşaat have garnered billions of dollars of construction contracts since 1992.

Ukraine and Turkmenistan have embassies in each other's capitals.^[4][5] Ukrainian companies have been involved in major construction projects, including the rail and automobile bridges across the Amu Darya at Türkmenabat.

The countries have embassies in each other's capitals. In addition, Turkmenistan has a consulate in Dubai. The Emirates are a major entrepot for imports of foodstuffs and consumer items into Turkmenistan. In addition, one of three oil-drilling concessions in the Caspian Sea is held by Dragon Oil, which is wholly owned by the Emirates National Oil Company. The international office of Turkmenistan's TAPI Pipeline Company is in Dubai.

The UK established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 23 January 1992.

• Turkmenistan maintains an embassy in London.
• The UK is accredited to Turkmenistan through its embassy in Ashgabat.^[25]

Both countries share common membership of the OSCE. Bilaterally the two countries have a Development Partnership,^[26] and an Investment Agreement.^[27]

The United States and Turkmenistan continue to disagree about the latter country's path toward democratic and economic reform. The United States has publicly advocated industrial and agricultural privatization, market liberalization, and fiscal reform, as well as legal and regulatory reforms to open up the economy to foreign trade and investment, as the best way to achieve prosperity and true independence and sovereignty.

• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and a mission to the United Nations in New York City. The Turkmen ambassador is accredited to Canada and Mexico, as well.
• A United States embassy, including a USAID country office, is located in Ashgabat.

• Turkmenistan has an embassy in Tashkent.
• Uzbekistan has an embassy in Ashgabat.

• Venezuela briefly opened an embassy in Ashgabat following a state visit by Hugo Chávez, but the staff returned to Teheran after six months. A chancery is located in Ashgabat, but the bilateral relationship is managed by the Venezuelan embassy in Iran.

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 22, 1999.^[14]