Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov held a videoconference meeting with Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Helga Schmid.

The parties discussed the current situation and prospects of the Turkmenistan-OSCE dialogue and paid particular attention to cooperation in maintaining security in the region, including the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. In this context, the Turkmen side reaffirmed its interest in developing the OSCE Common Security Strategy.

The parties underlined the importance of attracting effective tools and mechanisms to prevent conflicts between countries. In this regard, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan proposed to consider the possibility of using new political and diplomatic instruments, in particular, with the use of the principles of positive neutrality.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also put forward Turkmenistan’s initiative on organizing a regional conference on combating financing of terrorism and transnational organized crime. The possibilities of cooperation in the field of cybersecurity were discussed.

Afghan issues were also included into the agenda of the videoconference meeting. As noted, Turkmenistan considers large energy, transport and communication projects as a driving force to achieve social and economic stability in this country.

Discussing energy security and sustainable transport, the parties underlined the importance of stable access to energy resources in the context of regional and global development.

The Turkmen side emphasized that as one of the largest producers and suppliers of energy resources in the world our country continued to work actively to create flexible mechanisms for their supply to world markets and promoted the idea of creating a specialized OSCE structure - the Council on Sustainable Energy.

The issues of expanding cooperation in the field of transport and environmental safety were also discussed. In this aspect, the importance of the OSCE project Promoting Green Ports and Connectivity in the Caspian Sea Region was underlined. It was emphasized that Turkmenistan would contribute to the development of green ports, digitalization and simplification of trade and transport communications in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

It was also noted that expert meetings were regularly held to study the possibility of preparing an OSCE Complex Environmental Programme.

During the online meeting, the aspects of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere were discussed, in particular, partnership in the field of human rights protection and gender equality. The effectiveness of interaction between our country and the OSCE through the Office of the Ombudsman of Turkmenistan and the importance of contacts with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities were emphasized.

The important role of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat in promoting joint projects, including the development of digital media in Turkmenistan, was underlined.