Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sam Tan, who is in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, attended the Opening Ceremony of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games which was officially opened by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow on 17 September 2017. MOS Tan attended the Opening Ceremony as Singapore's official representative and in support of Team Singapore at the Games. The Opening Ceremony was also attended by several Heads of States and Heads of Governments from 62 participating countries.
During his visit, MOS Tan was hosted to an official dinner by President Berdimuhammedow for the heads of the delegations attending the Opening Ceremony. MOS Tan also called on Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Maksat Babayev, Mayor of Ashgabat Shamukhammet Durdylyev and other senior Turkmen officials. Mayor Durdylyev also organised a tour of the Olympic Village for MOS Tan.
During his meetings, MOS Tan reaffirmed the warm and friendly ties between Singapore and Turkmenistan and discussed areas of possible cooperation between the two sides.
MOS also visited the 14-member Singapore contingent at the Olympic Village to meet with officials and participating athletes prior to the start of their competition.
MOS Tan will depart Ashgabat for Helsinki, Finland today for a bilateral working visit from 19 to 22 September 2017.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
18 SEPTEMBER 2017