The Secretary-General met today, 22 September 2011, with H.E. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan. The Secretary-General thanked the President for Turkmenistan's continued support for the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, located in Ashgabat.

The Secretary-General and the President discussed prospects for regional cooperation, including in the field of counter-terrorism. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation for Turkmenistan's efforts to promote economic cooperation between Central Asia and Afghanistan, and commended Turkmenistan's regional initiatives in the fields of disarmament and energy.

The Secretary-General confirmed the readiness of the United Nations to continue its support for electoral processes in view of the upcoming presidential elections in Turkmenistan in 2012.