Immediately after arriving in Ashgabat, President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov went to meet with the activists of the Tatar community of Turkmenistan. About three dozen of the most famous and active Tatars from all over the country were invited to the meeting with Rustam Minnikhanov. The meeting with the Tatars was conducted by  Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan,  Chairman of the National Council of the World Congress of Tatars Vasil Shaikhraziev.

About the life of Tatars of Turkmenistan told   Rustam Minnikhanov, artist, honored art worker of Turkmenistan and member of the Artists’ Union of Turkmenistan Kamil Veliakhmedov, chief accountant of the “Asylly” Individual Enterprise Rashid Asadullina and graduate of the Kazan Federal University from Turkmenistan Nazira Yalkabova/

“I am glad to meet you in the hospitable land of Turkmenistan. We are all united in concern for the future of our Tatar people and the desire to be patriots of our country, wherever we live. We appreciate your contribution to the preservation of the Tatar language and culture, to the multiplication of common spiritual values ​​together with the Turkmen people, ”said the President of the Republic of Tatarstan and expressed his gratitude to the leadership of Turkmenistan and personally to Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov for creating favorable conditions for preservation and development of Tatars culture. Then Rustam Minnikhanov briefly spoke about the current socio-economic situation of the Republic of Tatarstan, about the prospects for developing relations with Turkmenistan, about measures to support the Tatar language and culture, and also answered questions from the audience.

It is known that after the 16th century, Tatar merchants often acted as intermediaries of Russia and western countries in trade between the peoples of  Central Asia. The first immigrants on the territory of modern Turkmenistan appeared as a result of trade relations. A large number of Tatars moved to Turkmenistan during the years of Soviet power. The Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars maintains contact with the Tatar Diaspora of Turkmenistan. Due to legislative restrictions on  formation of national public associations, registered Tatar organizations in Turkmenistan are not present . However, today there are large Tatar communities in the cities of Ashgabat and Turkmenabad. After the collapse of the USSR, no more than 15 thousand Tatars remained in the country. Representatives of the Tatar Diaspora take an active part in the events held by the World Congress of Tatars.

At the end of the meeting, Rustam Minnikhanov thanked the Tatar community for organizing the meeting and a warm welcome, and also presented the Medal “For Valiant Labor” to Kamil Veliakhmedov.

Press service of the President of the Republic of Tatarstan