President of Turkmenistan took part in the Summit of the CIS Heads of States

President of Turkmenistan took part in the Summit of the CIS Heads of States

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the next meeting of the Council of the CIS Heads of States held in Sochi.

Before the start of the forum there was a ceremony of joint photographing of Heads of the Commonwealth states participating in the Summit in the Congress Center of the "Radisson Blue Resort & Congress Center".

Then a session of the CIS Council of Heads of States was opened in the Small Conference Room of the Congress Center in a narrow composition.

Opening the meeting and warmly welcoming those present, the Chairman of the Summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin noted the density of the meeting agenda, during which a wide range of issues should be considered. Then the floor was given to the Summit participants.

During the exchange of views, the results of the Commonwealth's activities were analyzed, the priorities for the forthcoming period were specified and topical aspects of regional and international policy were discussed.

Then the Summit continued its work in the Large Meeting Room in an expanded format with the participation of members of the participating countries delegations.

The agenda of the meeting included a wide range of issues, including drafts of a number of documents aimed at further developing a long-term partnership in its key areas, adapting the activities of the Commonwealth to new realities. An important unifying direction of cooperation has been and remains the cultural and humanitarian area. The subject of the interested attention of the Summit participants was also the theme of supporting the institution of the family and traditional family values as the basis for ensuring a healthy and sustainable future.

A number of organizational issues were also considered, including the chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Turkmenistan is committed to the traditional fruitful dialogue in the format of the CIS, with the participating states of which our country is united by long-standing good relations and close ties.

As President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasizes, implementing a foreign policy based on the principles of peacefulness and positive neutrality, Turkmenistan is always open to its friends and partners. In modern conditions, the Commonwealth of Independent States is an effective platform for strengthening and expanding equal and mutually beneficial cooperation that meets common interests.

The meeting of the Council of Heads of the CIS States ended with the signing of final documents. A decision was taken on the chairmanship of the Republic of Tajikistan in the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2018. The co-chairs will be the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan.

The Council of Heads of States also announced 2019 - the Year of the Book, 2020 - the Year of the 75th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Heads of States adopted the Statement on support of the institution of the family and traditional family values. The Concept of Cooperation of the Commonwealth States in the sphere of combating money - laundering, financing of terrorism and financing the spread of weapons of mass destruction, the Concept of Cooperation of the CIS States in combating corruption were approved. The protocol decision on "

Convention of the Commonwealth of Independent States on cooperation in the field of research and use of outer space for peaceful purposes" was signed.

The next meeting of the Council of the CIS Heads of States will be held in October 2018 in Dushanbe (Republic of Tajikistan).

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has a meeting with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in Sochi.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov arrived to Sochi (the Russian Federation) on a working visit to take part in a meeting of the CIS Council of the Heads of State.

From the airport, the Turkmen leader headed to the Congress Centre in the Radisson Blu Resort & Congress Centre Hotel, located on the picturesque coast of the Black Sea, where President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held a meeting with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

Cordially greeting the distinguished guest, the President of Russia expressed gratitude to the Turkmen colleague for the accepted invitation to visit Sochi and take part in the CIS Summit, as well as for the cordial welcome of the RF delegation during the recent official visit to Turkmenistan.

Underlining that the fundamental documents were signed during the Ashgabat meeting with the aim to ensure the further development of the interstate relations over the whole range, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin once again expressed sincere gratitude to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for the fruitful joint work.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov thanked the leader of the Russian Federation for the kind words and, taking the opportunity, congratulated Vladimir Putin on his birthday. Wishing the RF President strong health and success in his activity, the Turkmen leader presented a puppy of the Alabai breed named Wepaly (Faithful) to the President of the Russian Federation.

According to President Gurbenguly Berdimuhamedov, the dogs of the Alabai breed have always been the Turkmen people’s faithful companions and friends. The choice of alabai as the symbol of the V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games was not accidental.

The Turkmen leader noted that it was known that the President of Russia paid particular attention to the environment, preservation of flora and fauna, and the gifted puppy represented the most ancient and unique breed.

In the afternoon, the meeting of the CIS Council of the Heads of State took place in the Congress Centre of the Radisson Blu Resort & Congress Centre Hotel.

As an associated member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, our country actively participates in CIS affairs, promoting the development of fruitful cooperation in a wide range of areas both in bilateral and multilateral formats. Considering cooperation in the framework of the CIS as one of the important vectors of the foreign policy course, neutral Turkmenistan builds up relations with the CIS countries based on goodwill, the traditions of friendship, respect for each other's interests, the principles of equal dialogue and mutually beneficial long-term partnership.

Regularly participating in various activities in the framework of the CIS, our country hosted important meetings and forums of the Commonwealth, including the meeting of the CIS Council of the Heads of State and Government. It should be noted that Turkmenistan has always been proactive in matters of cooperation, paying great attention to the implementation of the existing multidimensional potential in such priority fields as trade and economy, transport and communication sector, energy, humanitarian and cultural fields as well as ecology, sports, tourism, etc.

In this context, it is notable that in 2012 and 2016, the Turkmen cities of Mary and Dashoguz were proclaimed the CIS cultural capitals. The events, held in these cities in the framework of the honorary status delegated to them, became a significant contribution of Turkmenistan to the development of the dialogue of cultures in the CIS area, the enrichment of traditional humanitarian ties, the preservation of the priceless historical and cultural heritage of the peoples of the CIS states for the future generations and its popularization all around the world.

Our country is also committed to working with the CIS countries in the light of the development of balanced solutions on topical issues on the regional and global agenda, especially those related to countering the dangerous challenges and threats of the present time, ensuring universal peace, security and sustainable development.

In 2012, as the Chair of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Turkmenistan demonstrated the most serious and responsible approach to the fulfillment of this important mission, contributing to strengthening the traditionally friendly, good-neighborly relations between the CIS member countries, building an effective partnership that meets the goals of the universal prosperity.

The participation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in the regular meeting of the CIS Council of the Heads of State vividly proves that independent neutral Turkmenistan consistently implements its foreign policy strategy that prioritizes the development of constructive cooperation both at the intergovernmental level and in the format of authoritative regional and international organizations and structures.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made a speech at the session of the Council of the CIS Heads in Sochi.

The Head of the State highlighted that Turkmenistan pays respect to the cooperation under the CIS and thinks that this is the most important component of external relations of all countries of the Commonwealth.

At the same time, Turkmen Leader said that it is necessary to intensify political and diplomatic cooperation for improvement of mutual trust the between CIS countries using considerable resource potential of foreign ministries of the Commonwealth’s states. These systematic and regular consultations of foreign ministries level which are able to be efficient tool in solution of number of issues within the CIS.

Besides, it is necessary to increase the level of cooperation under large international organizations like the UN, OSCE and take the measures for consolidation of the efforts of the Commonwealth’s countries in competent international structures for achievement of the goals of the global agenda. The Head of Turkmenistan noted that the CIS, being an official partner of the UN as well as actively participating in the work of the OSCE, SCO and other international structures, has big experience of participation in the activity of global and regional organizations.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that he considers it is right to entrust foreign ministries of the CIS countries to elaborate middle-term action plan aimed at activation of the partnership in political and diplomatic sphere.

Having outlined concretization of the work in trade and economic direction as another important moment, Turkmen leader highlighted that the Commonwealth with its huge potential needs to integrate more actively and comprehensively to international economy relations as a space where transport and energy projects are implemented and modern infrastructure and communications of interregional logistic centres are established.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov spoke for taking of real measures in this direction as this meets common interests and the interests of each country.

The Head of the State said that development of new approaches to joint activity would be required for fulfilment of this objective. In this aspect, resting upon year of experience in economic sphere in the CIS, we could have consider the opportunities of creating efficient mechanisms of the partnership allowing not only developing economic relations under the Commonwealth but also bringing them to continental and intercontinental level.

The President of Turkmenistan expressed the confidence that such approach would supplement those types of economic cooperation that have been already formed and operates between the CIS countries.

It was also highlighted that Turkmenistan taking into account its neutral status and being an associated member of the CIS is strictly adherent to further cooperation under the Commonwealth, to participation in beneficial political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian relations for consolidation of cooperation that meets the interests of our states and nations.

Having expressed the gratitude to Russian Federation for efficient activity as chairing country of the CIS in this year, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlighted that Turkmen side supports with respect the candidacy of Tajikistan for this position in 2018. The President also expressed the gratitude to the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States for support of Turkmenistan as the co-chairman in the next year.