On 3 December, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received the European Union special envoy for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, who arrived in Ashgabat to attend an international forum on environmental and water issues.

According to the EU special envoy, he is "happy to visit the capital of Turkmenistan which is a center of international cooperation on pressing issues of contemporary development. These issues need consolidated efforts from regional states and partner countries, in particular the European Union."

In his turn, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said "issues related to the rational use of water resources in Central Asia should be resolved on the basis of mutual respect and in line with internationally accepted norms and regulations."

During the meeting the sides exchanged views on prospects for further development of cooperation between Turkmenistan and EU in a number of priority areas, namely trade-economic and humanitarian spheres, the Turkmen State News Agency (TDH) said.