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Last week, Turkmenistan celebrated the 26th anniversary of obtaining the status of permanent neutrality, twice enshrined in the Resolutions of the United Nations Organization. This remarkable date symbolizes a triumph of the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s constructive foreign-policy strategy based on lofty ideals of peacefulness and humanism the Turkmen people was committed to throughout its entire history. Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality has become an effective factor in the international policy; it won recognition of the world community of nations and fully proved its adaptability to the contemporary conditions, actuality and compliance with key directions of the global development.
Neutrality – is a doctrine in the name of wealth on the planet, consolidation of peace, friendship and benevolent relations between the states and nations, for the sake of the bright future of the entire mankind, the leader of nation stressed in his Welcoming Address to the people of the country on the occasion of International Neutrality Day and the 26th anniversary of adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Resolution on Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality.
On December 12, in the frames of the festivities in Ashgabat, with the participation of the head of state, the ceremony was held of laying flowers to the Neutrality Monument, which embodied the triumph of lofty fundamental principles of the Turkmen people – peacefulness, virtuosity and humanism.
In the Reception Center, a solemn ceremony was held, participation in which of the Arkadag-President gave still greater significance to the event.
We link the symbols of the contemporary epoch with the extant national values retained through the millenniums, - the head of state Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said, having highlighted that while investigating the national roots of our neutrality, pondering over it, one can say a great deal about Turkmen mentality, people, about our glorious history.
From our ancestors we inherited such qualities, as peacefulness, self-respect, humanism, loyalty, devotion and courage, the head of state noted. Exactly these noble principles are the basics of Turkmen neutrality, deep sense of which is in ensuring stability, peace, security, and sustainable development, the President of the country stressed.
In the course of ceremony, the head of state informed that he wrote a new poem “Long live peaceful life!” – an appeal to the entire mankind to ascertain peace, virtuosity, wealth and happiness on the Earth.
Continuation of the event was a holiday concert, which included performance of songs written by the leader of nation Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov..
The music-and-song part of the ceremony was taken up by representatives of the diplomatic community, creative workers of the country. They extended their heartfelt congratulations on International Neutrality Day to the participants of the event and the entire Turkmen people. It was noted that Turkmenistan’s neutral status has invested in consolidation of peace and trust, in strengthening of the basics of security, stability and progress.
On the occasion of International Neutrality Day and the 26th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s neutral status, a concert of masters of art was held in the Mukam Palace of the State Culture Center; various holiday measures were also organized in all velayats of the country.
In run-up to the remarkable date, with the participation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the capital’s Congress-Center hosted the international conference “Policy of peace and trust – a foundation stone of international security, stability and development”, which was regarded as a landmark event of not only last week, but of 2021 on the whole.
The forum was attended by the heads and representatives of the Mejlis and Halk Maslakhaty of Milli Gengesh, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, ministers and chief heads of departments, national and foreign diplomats, heads of international organizations, representatives of social organizations and media community.
In his speech, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has noted the uniqueness of Turkmen neutrality strongly buttressed by modern realities and age-old experience of our people, which serves as a solid guarantee of safeguarding peace and security in the region and as a significant influential factor of the international economic and political processes positive development.
Turkmenistan’s neutrality we consider as a factor of broad constructive international cooperation, positive impact on settlement and solution of contemporary issues and contradictions by means of peaceful, political-diplomatic instrumentalities, at the negotiating table, the leader of nation stated.
The head of state is firmly convinced that nowadays there is a long-felt need to form a new philosophy of international relations based on the clearly-adjusted political criteria, reasonable and positive pragmatism, generally-recognized and worldwide understandable human values. I would have named such philosophy as “Dialogue – a guarantee of peace”, - President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov stressed, having invited to think altogether over realization of such a philosophy.
Among other speakers at the forum there were: Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization Husrav Noziri, Secretary General of the Turkic States Organization Bagdad Amreyev, Secretary General of the International Turkic Culture Organization (TURKSOY) Dusen Kasseinov, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Central Asia, head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Natalya Herman, the UN Permanent Coordinator in Turkmenistan Dmitry Shlapachenko, head of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, Ambassador John MacGregor.
Participants of the conference were unanimous in the opinion that over the past twenty-six years, the country’s neutrality facilitated the regional and global peace and stability, having set a positive example for other countries. At present, it keeps on contributing considerably to creation of the progress-favored conditions in both Turkmenistan and the entire region.
Extending their congratulations to neutral Turkmenistan on successful realization of the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s initiative of proclaiming 2021 the International Year of Peace and Trust, the speakers expressed strong conviction that this unprecedented proposal had promoted improvement of the equitable dialogue and strengthening of international cooperation, for the benefit of achieving sustainable peace, solidarity and harmony.
Turkmenistan’s important contribution to safeguarding international peace and stability was also noted in the Message of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed to the forum participants.
By results of the Conference’s plenary session, a solid set of documents (26 multilateral acts) was signed.
Heads and representatives of numerous reputable international organizations and regional structures took part in the thematic plenary sessions in the online format. Key directions and subjects of the discussions were predetermined by the titles of sessions – “Policy of peace and trust: neutrality and preventive diplomacy in world-ordering processes”, ”Inextricable links of world’s culture with the agenda in the sphere of sustainable development”, “Humanitarian measuring of the formation processes of universal culture of peace and trust”.
On completion of the International Conference “Policy of peace and trust – a foundation stone of international security, stability and development”, a Resulting Document was adopted
Rating high our country’s active and initiative position in consolidating world community’s efforts to work out the dovetailed solutions of topical problems, the participants of forum expressed common conviction that it would promote awareness of the ever-growing role and significance of the neutrality institution in the present-day world, notably in studying the experience of Turkmenistan, which uses its positive geopolitical and geo-economic potential for the benefit of sustainable development and progress of the entire mankind.
That same day, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Husrav Noziri, who arrived in Turkmenistan to take part in the celebrations timed to International Neutrality Day.
The head of state and his guest exchanged opinions on the prospects for future-orientated partnership in the ECO frames in the context of Turkmenistan’s presidency in the ECO in the running year. At that, particular emphasis was placed on the actuality of creative initiatives of the Turkmen leader, including the ones avowed at the 15th ECO Summit.
Consideration was also given to the possibilities of activating cooperation in such demand-driven directions of the region, as trade-economic and investment sphere, industry, adoption of innovations and advanced technologies.
While receiving last week Secretary General of Turkic States Organization Bagdad Amreyev, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and his high-ranking guest have noted the importance of granting to Turkmenistan of the observer status in the Turkic States Organization in November of the current year. The fact signals the beginning of a qualitatively new phase in the development of cooperation, which will be centered on such priority directions of interaction, as transport and logistics, energy, ecology, introduction of innovatory technologies, and so on.
Lengthy consideration was also given to celebrating of the 300th anniversary of the great Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly in the nearest three years in the entire Turkic world. As was noted, the ECO Secretariat was working over the relevant Program, which would include plenty of measures, notably – conferences of international level, release of various materials and research studies. In projects is also erection in the capitals of Turkic world countries of Magtymguly monuments, naming the streets in towns after the Turkmen poet and thinker.
Intensification of contacts in culture and arts, motivation of creative exchanges were also in the center of meetings President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov had with Secretary General of the International Turkic Culture Organization Dusen Kasseinov, who arrived in our country to take part in the celebrations timed to International Neutrality Day.
Particular attention was given to the preparation measures for celebrating the 300th anniversary of the Turkmen poet-philosopher Magtymguly Fragi. Creative heritage of the great Artist in Words notable for its lofty humanistic ideals is an asset of not only Turkic nations, but of the entire mankind.
Proceeding to the chronology of the past week’s events, worth of mentioning is the December-9 reception by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of the Governor of Astrakhan Oblast (the Russian Federation) Igor Babushkin.
In the course of meeting, the head of state and his guest gave consideration to the issues of intensifying cooperation in the trade-economic sphere, in construction of transnational transport-transit corridors and logistics centers.
Petrochemical industry, ship-building and ship repair sector were sorted out among the priority directions of interaction. Particular accent was placed on strengthening of partnership between representatives of business circles of the two countries. Not the least important is further development of the traditional humanitarian contacts, in the sphere of education inclusive.
In the frames of the visit to Turkmenistan, a meeting was held of Igor Babushkin with Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs R. Meredov and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
On December 10, by well-established tradition, on New Year’s Eve, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held an enlarged session of the Cabinet of Ministers with the participation of heads of diplomatic missions and Turkmenistan’s consular offices in foreign countries, and other top-ranking officials. The agenda of session implied some issues of the state internal and foreign policy pursued by the country.
At the session, information was avowed about the macroeconomic indicators achieved in the running year and about the national economy development-favored measures projected for the next year.
Thus, it is supposed that execution of the revenue part of the State Budget is anticipated at the level of 101 percent, expenditure part – 99.6 percent.
Among the tasks of priority for 2022 are the following: to increase the national economy’s potential; ensure sustainable development of all spheres and regions; upgrade the efficiency and competitiveness of branches through setting in motion of all possibilities available; use widely digital system in all spheres; advance the electronic industry; increase the volumes of export-orientated domestic industrial produce; decrease import at the expense of intensification of local import-substituting industries; render support to the private entrepreneurship through creating of business-favored conditions.
Due to increase of economic efficiency in all branches and successful realization of large-scale changes and programs in the future year, the projected GDP growth rate is 6.5 percent.
At the same time, in 2022, at the expense of centralized capital investments, construction is projected of especially important social objects – health centers, schools, kindergartens, potable water systems, residential houses for the needy people.
At the session of the Government, a comprehensive analysis was also given to Turkmenistan’s international activity, and the tasks were identified of the next year’s political-diplomatic activity of the country’s MFA and abroad diplomatic offices and missions.
As was noted, to consolidate our achievements, it is necessary to adapt Turkmenistan’s foreign-policy course to the varying conditions of international conjuncture strictly adhering to its conceptual basics.
In this aspect, the priority is to be given to the systematical strengthening of neutrality as a key factor of interstate partnership, the head of Turkmenistan said, having thereby stressed that first of the first it is necessary to strengthen and streamline properly our activity in the United Nations Organization. Nowadays, every condition is available for this – political and legal.
Not the least important is to keep active and earmarked work ongoing with the partners to increase membership of the Group of Neutrality Friends in the Interests of Peace, Security and Development instituted in the UN frames.
International economic partnership is one of the vectors of priority of Turkmenistan’s foreign-policy course.
In this regard, the leader of nation has entrusted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in association with ministries and sectoral departments of the trade-economic complex, the abroad embassies and representative offices, Trade Houses of our country in some countries with a task to still more activate the channels of economic diplomacy, work out a well-defined regulations of its realization, and create the conditions for the interest-based and regular business contacts with foreign partners.
Which is why President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has proposed to strengthen the staff of our embassies and representative offices in foreign countries with proficient economists of international class, provide them with necessary means, stipulate every condition for their active participation in the measures conducted in the countries and regions of service.
It is also important to be concentrated on Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the World Trade Organization, to undertake well-directed comprehensive study of the experience of the WTO member-states, economic indicators of which are similar to ours.
Particular accent is to be placed on the transport diplomacy, notably on such its spheres as: development of the diversification-based routes of commodities and services supply; arrangement of new systems and formats; attraction of foreign partners’ attention to the ground and marine infrastructure of our country, the leader of nation noted.
Acceleration of efforts in the sphere of scientific diplomacy, activation of cooperation with the World Health Organization and its European Regional Bureau, and Country Office in Ashgabat are yet another direction of priority, the head of state stressed.
Strengthening of neighborly, friendly and fraternal relations with the countries of Central Asia and the Caspian region was and remains a trend of priority of us, - the leader of nation said, having exhorted the plenipotentiaries in those countries to ensure realization of all agreements achieved in the multilateral and bilateral formats.
Preparation to the regular Summit of the Caspian states and creation of every condition for conducting in the future year of the top-level meeting in the trilateral format “Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Turkey” the leader of nation has identified as one of the tasks of priority.
Strengthening of strategic partnership with the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and India is yet another task of priority.
The head of state has also ascertained the country’s goal-directedness for progressive advancement of the political-economic dialogue with the states of the Asian-Pacific region in the light of the accumulated solid experience of interaction with Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia.
Having laid stress on the country’s readiness to search for new forms and vectors of cooperation, first of the first in the sphere of transport and communications, energy, investments, high technologies, in creation of the modern urban agglomerations, the leader of nation spoke in favor of keeping regular contacts going with the states of the European Union, the United States of America, with which our positions in the issues of safeguarding peace and stability, combating illicit drug trafficking and organized crime, protection of ecology and environment are like or coincident.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has stated that Turkmenistan evinces interest in closer and earmarked cooperation with the countries of the Arab world and the Near East; rather perspective is also strengthening of understanding and consolidation of efforts with the states of Africa and Latin America in resolving of key global issues.
Direct participation in the activity of the United Nations Organization with advancement of initiatives is a strategic direction of Turkmenistan in the frames of the multilateral diplomacy. In the years ahead, the goals and values, provisions of the UN Charter will be the vectors of priority for us and our partners.
The leader of nation has also confirmed the country’s intention to intensify joint work with such large structures, as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union, to keep going constructive and efficient participation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Islamic Cooperation Organization, and Non-Alignment Movement.
All through the years of independence, Turkmenistan has achieved great success in all spheres, having turned into a powerful, stable, fast-developing state. The successes and achievements are assigned to ensure today and tomorrow the country’s firm position on the world arena, increase numbers of our friends and partners, create advantageous conditions for the internal development and improvement of the native people’s well-being, the head of state stated.
For the merits in strengthening of independence and sovereignty of our powerful state, development of the economy and culture, and on the occasion of the glorious holidays – the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence, and International Neutrality Day, the President of Turkmenistan has signed the Ukases and Resolution on conferring state awards on a number of citizens of the country.
In compliance with the principles of clemency and humanism, President of Turkmenistan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the country’s Armed Forces Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has signed the Ukase “On pardoning of convicted persons on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan”.
The operating budgets and staff lists of the abroad embassies, consulates and permanent missions of our country under international organizations, as well as the statutory social benefits for the diplomatic staffers and members of their families were approved by the presidential Resolution.
Relying on the age-old neighborly relations and humanistic principles of the Turkmen people, to continue on the systemic and regular basis rendering assistance and all-round support to Afghanistan in the economic, social and humanitarian spheres, the President of Turkmenistan signed an Order on rendering humanitarian assistance to the neighboring country.
Last week, the capital hosted the international virtual exhibition «Baky Bitarap Türkmenistan» and in its frames – the conference devoted to the Motherland’s neutrality and the year’s slogan “Turkmenistan – Home of Peace and Trust”. On behalf of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov the events were organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan (CCIT).
On special monitors installed in the CCIT, the ministries and sectoral departments, large enterprises and regions of the country presented their statistical information on Web-sites, as well as their own virtual stands, to familiarize the potential foreign partners and large Internet-audience with rich export potential of Turkmenistan and prospects for establishing of long-term, mutuality-based cooperation.
The conference participants got acquainted with the surveys about achievements of our country over the years of independence, enhancement of export of the made-in-Turkmenistan produce, progress of the digital technologies introduction.
The second volume of new book “Hatyra” (“Memory”) was published, devoted to the memory of Turkmenistan-heroes from Balkan velayat, who heroically fought in the battles for the Motherland’s freedom in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 and were killed in the battles, died from wounds in hospitals, or missed in actions.
Our fellow countrymen hold sacred the unparalleled feat of national heroes as a sacred sample of boundless loyalty and valorous servicing to the Motherland, of personal responsibility for its fate, for safeguarding of peace on the planet.
These ideas find today their embodiment in the policy of broad international cooperation, which is steadily and consistently is being pursued by the leader of nation Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov relying on neutral status of our country and boundless potential of peacefulness, good neighborliness and mutual respect, aspiration for creative endeavors.
