Constructive cooperation - a priority of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan

Taking an active and initiative position in development of well-balanced solutions to topical issues of modernity, neutral Turkmenistan continues to put into practice consistently its foreign policy based on principles of peaceful disposition, good neighbourhood and constructive cooperation in regional and global dimensions. Important events of international significance, by which the current year is marked, can serve a clear evidence of effectiveness of the far-sighted strategy, which was initiated by Hero-Arkadag and is successfully implemented under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

One should mention among them a working visit of the head of the state to New York (USA) in September to participate in the 78th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization. Our country in practice shows its readiness to direct its peace-making and creative potential to the common cause, taking consecutive steps for these purposes. Priority positions of Turkmenistan and concrete proposals stated by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on September 19 of the current year from the high rostrum of the United Nations testify to it.

As the head of Turkmenistan noted in his speech, namely the feeling of highest responsibility should unite today all 193 member countries of the Community of the Nations, each of which, irrespective of its geographical location, population, scale of economy, political model, is called and capable to bring an important contribution to solution of goals that the United Nations faces. Owing to a number of reasons, the present world faces a number of very serious challenges. Proceeding from it, Turkmenistan throughout many years has firmly and persistently defended the principle of indivisibility and integrity of security, inalienability of its various aspects from each other.

In this connection, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov made a number of initiatives of the Turkmen side, in particular, discussion of possibilities of development of the Strategy of global security based on principles of the Charter of the United Nations and conventional standards of international law taking into account realities and tendencies of global development.

Developing further upon the topic as well as having spoken for the launch of an inclusive, full-format and systematic dialogue between Central Asia and United Nations, the head of the state made a proposal on creation of a Security Conference in Central Asia and adjacent zones under the aegis of the United Nations Organization. At the same time, he expressed readiness to host the first meeting of the Conference in Ashgabat in 2024.

Having made an emphasis on the fact that among key areas of activity of the United Nations in forthcoming years Turkmenistan considers solution of essential climatic and ecological problems, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov singled out the issues connected with global methane pledge. As was marked, with accession to the Paris Agreement on climate change in 2017 our country adopted a number of corresponding national programs. Nation-wide actions with a view of decrease and eradication of negative consequences of emissions of methane into the atmosphere are carried out.

In this connection, it was stated that in Turkmenistan the Road map on development of international cooperation aimed at exploration of the issue of accession of our country to the Global Methane Pledge was approved.

As an important step to adopt a strategic approach to environmental issues of Central Asia the initiative on establishment of a specialised structure - Regional centre for climate technologies in Central Asia was put forward. In the given aspect, the Turkmen side expressed its readiness to provide organizational and technical support for the functioning of such centre in the Turkmen capital.

In his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov also made a proposal on creation of "Caspian ecological initiative”, having underlined that its realisation should be carried out in close cooperation with the United Nations, its agencies, establishments and institutes.

Touching upon fulfilment of Sustainable development goals in the transport sphere, the head of the state noted that, as known, Turkmenistan became an initiator of creation of effective international platforms for the dialogue in this important area. So, in 2016, our country hosted with success the First Global conference of the United Nations on sustainable transport and in the summer of the past year - the Ministerial meeting on transport for developing countries, which do not have an access to the sea, organised in cooperation with the United Nations. Initiatives of Turkmenistan in the given field found their embodiment in corresponding Resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Among them is the Resolution “World Sustainable Transport Day” adopted in May of the current year.

In this context, it was proposed based on provisions of the given document, on the sidelines of the present session of the General Assembly to convene a high-level conference on the occasion of World Sustainable Transport Day.

The major area of activity of Turkmenistan on realisation of SDGs is to extend maximum assistance to the United Nations for solution of food problem. Proceeding from it, our country proposes to convene under the aegis of the United Nations in cooperation with the World Food Programme, World Health Organization, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund a large international forum on food security and is ready to provide conditions for organization of such action in Ashgabat within the agreed time frame.

Adherence of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Organization to the strategic full-format dialogue was also confirmed during the meeting of the head of the state with the UN Secretary General António Guterres.

Besides it, “on the margins” of the 78th session of UN GA, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov held meetings with Director-General of the World Trade Organization Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, President of the Republic Korea Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the European Council Charles Michel and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

Within the framework of his working visit to the USA on September 19, the head of Turkmenistan also took part in the first historical summit in the Central Asia-United States (“С5+1”) format. During the summit, an interested discussion of important issues of six-sided partnership took place and its priority vectors were outlined taking into account future plans. 

The strengthening of traditionally friendly, brotherly relations with neighbouring countries in the region invariably acts as one of the key areas of the foreign policy strategy of our fatherland. Intention of Turkmenistan to promote further development of fruitful interstate dialogue on a bilateral and multilateral basis was confirmed during the working visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the Republic of Tajikistan in September to participate in the fifth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of States of Central Asia and in the Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) in Dushanbe accordingly on September 14 and 15. Proposals and initiatives of the Turkmen side sounded on them in speeches of the President of Turkmenistan covered a wide spectrum of areas, including strengthening of peace and security, economy and trade, energy, transport, cultural and humanitarian spheres, ecology and preservation of the environment, advancement of water diplomacy and as a whole ensuring of sustainable development in the region.

It is also necessary to point out that on September 14, National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made a working visit to Dushanbe at the invitation of President of Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon. During the visit a solemn ceremony of awarding of Hero-Arkadag a high award - the Badge of Honour of the Heads of Central Asian States took place.

Constructive, progressive character is also typical of the traditional dialogue of Turkmenistan with the Commonwealth of Independent States. Long-term cooperation in the given format is based upon a strong foundation of friendship and good neighbourhood, historically developed links. As an associate member of the CIS, our country brings an effective contribution to development of fruitful partnership in the Commonwealth.

Participation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the regular Summit of the CIS, which took place on October 13 in the capital of the Kirghiz Republic - Bishkek, became an acknowledgement of initiative position of Turkmenistan in issues of strengthening and intensification of versatile interstate cooperation.

Consistently realising the peaceful, creative foreign policy, our neutral fatherland develops relations of friendship and mutually beneficial partnership with the states located in different regions of the planet, among which is the Republic of Türkiye. The official visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to the brotherly country made in October of the current year at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan became an important step on the path of development of effective bilateral cooperation and its bringing out to a qualitatively new level meeting modern realities.

The agreements reached and a solid package of the documents signed called to strengthen significantly a contractual and legal basis of Turkmen-Turkish relations convincingly testify to the efficiency of the summit talks held in Ankara on October 26 to promote intensification of productive interaction in such areas as trade and economy, business, transport and communications, training of highly qualified personnel, cultural-humanitarian area, youth policy, sports, mass-media and others. 

The program of the visit also included participation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the opening ceremony of the Turkmen-Turkish business forum. Concrete proposals made the head of Turkmenistan on cooperation were welcomed with big enthusiasm by representatives of business circles of Turkey and underlined their high interest in participation in large-scale infrastructural projects, which are carried out in our country. By the outcome of the business forum a number of the documents, concerning interactions in various spheres, including manufacture of building materials, agro-industrial complex and food branch, purchase of specialized equipment and others were signed between Turkmen and Turkish businessmen. 

Returning to the topic of development of constructive relations with foreign partners within the framework of regional and international structures, one can cite as a bright example a long-term positive dialogue with the Organization for Economic Cooperation. As known, two years ago Turkmenistan presiding in the given Organization since 2021, hosted the 15th OEC Summit. The Ashgabat high-level meeting was marked by important solutions, which gave a new impulse to joint activity.

Participation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the 16th Summit of the Organization for Economic Cooperation in Tashkent on November 9 served as an acknowledgement of aspiration of our country in every possible way to promote the strengthening of fruitful partnership taking into account available potential and prospects. Speaking at the forum, the head of Turkmenistan made proposals aimed at intensification of mutually beneficial relations in trade and economic and investment, business, transport and energy spheres and as a whole at supplementing multiplane interstate cooperation with the new content.

The relations of our country with the Organization of Turkic States also develop on a trustful and mutually beneficial basis. Commonality of historical roots, cultural and spiritual heritage unite peoples of member countries of the Organization of Turkic States with Turkmen people. We will remind that in 2021 the status of an observer in this Organization was given to Turkmenistan. The working visit of National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the Republic of Kazakhstan for participation in the 10th Anniversary Summit of the Organization of Turkic States on November 3 attested to adherence of our fatherland to fruitful partnership in the given format.

In his speech, having touched upon topical regional and international aspects, Hero-Arkadag focused attention on prospects of interstate interaction, having put forward the initiatives aimed at development of co-ordinated approaches to productive long-term cooperation in its key areas that meet interests of general well-being.

The European vector also acts as one of the priorities of the foreign policy of neutral Turkmenistan. Our country attaches a great significance to the strengthening of friendly and mutually beneficial relations with the states of Europe, including those within the framework of traditional dialogue with the European Union. Cooperation in the given field dynamically develops in various spheres.

So, in August of the current year President Serdar Berdimuhamedov made a working visit to Hungary where at the invitation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán he took part in solemn actions of the World track and field athletics championship in Budapest as well as in the national holiday of the country - Saint Stephen's Day. This visit and the meeting of the head of Turkmenistan with the head of the Hungarian government put a basis for deepening and expansion of traditional bilateral cooperation at a new historical stage.

At the same time, the invitation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to take part in celebrations on the occasion of XIX World championship in track and field athletics speaks of high international authority of our fatherland and recognition of its powerful contribution to consolidation of peace and development of friendship between the countries and peoples of the planet.

Throughout the topic of interaction with the European partners, it is also necessary to mark fruitfulness of a working visit of National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedova to the Federal Republic of Germany in September of the current year. The program of the state visit included participation of Hero-Arkadag in meetings of heads of delegations of states of Central Asia and Germany in the “Central Asia + German” format as well as in the Turkmen-German business forum. Besides it, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan held bilateral meetings with Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and Vice Chancellor of Germany, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck.

This visit became the next significant step in development of the interstate dialogue and the bringing of Turkmen-German cooperation out to new boundaries meeting its solid potential. During high level actions, which took place in Berlin the interest of Germany in strengthening effective interaction with our country, which enjoys a reputation of a reliable and responsible partner in the international scene was also shown.

Being open for mutually beneficial cooperation equal in rights with all states of the world, Turkmenistan also develops fruitful relations with countries of the Asian-Pacific region, among which is the People’s Republic of China. Based on mutual good will of the parties, Turkmen-Chinese partnership has a close, strategic character. The working visit of National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the People’s Republic of China for participation in the Third Summit Forum “One Belt, One Road” in October of the current year attested to it.

Speaking at the high level conference organised on the sidelines of the Forum, Hero-Arkadag underlined that reliance on the richest historical experience of friendship and good neighbourhood between Turkmen and Chinese people and presence of objective mutual interests today enable our countries to intensify successfully cooperation in the context of realisation of the strategy initiated by Turkmenistan and China “Revival of the Great Silk Road” and "One belt, one road".

On the margins of his visit to Beijing, National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov met with Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping and discussed key vectors of interstate cooperation developing on the ascending line both on bilateral and multilateral basis. Upon completion of negotiations a number of important documents, which supplemented the contractual and legal basis of Turkmen-Chinese relations, were signed.

Thus, steadily following the chosen creative foreign policy strategy, independent neutral Turkmenistan makes a concrete contribution to development of constructive full-format international cooperation, which meets interests of universal peace, well-being and progress.