OREANDA-NEWS. September 23, 2011. The Amendment to the existing Letter of Agreement of September 2001 on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement Assistance between the Government of the United States and the Government of Turkmenistan was signed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan on September 21. U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkmenistan Robert Patterson participated in the ceremony.

As is known, the fundamental aspects of the foreign policy strategy initiated by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov involve further expansion of international cooperation in concerting efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking, transboundary and transnational crime and terrorism. In this context emphasis was put on the significance of the ongoing national programmes implemented in Turkmenistan on the Turkmen leader’s initiative to tackle modern challenges. The election of our country to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs for 2012-2015 is vivid evidence for the high evaluation of Turkmenistan’s practical steps in this field by the international community.

Focusing with satisfaction on the fruitful character of Turkmen-American relations, the ceremony participants reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and the United States were committed to consistently enhancing effective cooperation in the whole spectrum, including addressing modern challenges and threats on the regional and global scale.