Embassy News

Assistant Secretary of State Richard A. Boucher Reviews Growing Bilateral Relationship During Visit to Turkmenistan

PAS No 214 
May 28, 2008

Ashgabat, May 28, 2008 – Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard A. Boucher is visiting Turkmenistan May 28-30 to meet the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and to hold talks with other government officials.  Assistant Secretary Boucher’s visit will focus on a full review of the new U.S.-Turkmenistan relationship, with a view to expand that growing relationship.  Cooperation in the area of education is a special interest of both countries.

Following his meeting with the President, Boucher noted: “I am pleased to be back in Turkmenistan and to have an opportunity to meet with President Berdimuhamedov again.  We had a very positive meeting on a wide range of issues.  As Turkmenistan has opened up, our relations have seen steady progress over the past year and we look forward to continuing our cooperation, particularly in supporting Afghanistan, in education, in energy, in economic reform and in the development of a healthy political system and human rights”

Boucher’s schedule also includes a session with students at Turkmen State University and a visit to the Seit Jemmalatdin Mosque in Annau, which was awarded a U.S. Embassy grant for cultural preservation in 2001. 

Assistant Secretary Boucher’s last visit to Ashgabat was in February 2007, when he attended President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's inauguration, and the two agreed to develop cooperation in a broad range of areas, including health and education, human rights, economic reform, energy, and security.

Richard A. Boucher started his work as the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs on February 21, 2006.  Since then, he has traveled extensively throughout all of South and Central Asia.  In recognition of Assistant Secretary Boucher’s distinguished career, President George W. Bush recently nominated him to the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest honor in the U.S. diplomatic service.