Relationship dossier
Kazakhstan
Turkmenistan
Relationship assessment
Practical cooperation on border arrangements, Caspian Sea issues and regional transport
Kazakhstan toward Turkmenistan
+35Kazakhstan has cooperated with Turkmenistan on bilateral border arrangements and regional transport, including the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway project. It has also worked with Turkmenistan on the Caspian Sea legal framework.
Turkmenistan toward Kazakhstan
+35Turkmenistan has cooperated with Kazakhstan on bilateral border arrangements and regional transport, including the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway project. It has also worked with Kazakhstan on the Caspian Sea legal framework.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship is underpinned by practical cooperation on border arrangements, regional transport and Caspian Sea governance. These areas support a durable cooperative relationship, although the scale and implementation of some arrangements remain uncertain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have pursued practical cooperation on border arrangements, Caspian Sea issues and regional transport. Their bilateral border agreements and participation in the Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway project reflect sustained government cooperation, alongside joint work on the legal framework for the Caspian Sea. The relationship is cooperative, though the scope and implementation of some initiatives are not clear.
Key developments
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan signed a bilateral agreement on their state border.
The Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Iran railway began operation, creating a regional transport link involving both countries.
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan joined other Caspian littoral states in signing the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea.
Major uncertainties
- The current implementation and practical effects of bilateral border and transport arrangements are unclear.
- The scope of ongoing bilateral cooperation beyond transport and Caspian Sea matters is uncertain.