President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed Türkiye-Turkmenistan relations with Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, Turkmenistan’s former president and current chairperson of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, the Presidential Communications Directorate said Tuesday.

The two leaders also discussed regional and global developments in a phone call, the directorate said.

Erdoğan told Berdymukhamedov that bilateral relations between the two countries continue to expand and that they will work toward further enhancing cooperation initiatives for better ties.

Erdoğan also congratulated Turkmenistan on the occasion of its independence day.

Turkmenistan joined the Organization of Turkic States as an observer country in 2021, and Türkiye wants the country to become a full member of the bloc.

The country is known for its permanent neutrality policy. According to its neutral status and the obligations reflected in its law on neutrality, Turkmenistan does not participate in military blocs and alliances and does not allow the creation of military bases on its territory or its use by other countries for military purposes.