Today, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who is on a working visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan, took part in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Today, in the morning President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov headed towards the Congress Centre, which has become the venue for the regular meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Before the start of the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States in an enlarged membership, distinguished guests were cordially welcomed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Then, the ceremony of official joint photographing of the participants of the Summit took place.

The leaders of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as countries that have the status of observer and dialogue partner at the SCO, arrived in Samarkand to participate in the current meeting.

Representatives of international and regional organizations were also invited to the Summit.

Opening the meeting of the Council of Heads of SCO Member States in an expanded format and warmly welcoming the audience, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave the floor to the participants of the Summit.

At the beginning of his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed his gratitude to the Uzbek leader for the excellent organization of the current meeting, hospitality and the conditions created for productive work.

– “Turkmenistan is invited to the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at the highest level as an honoured guest,” the head of state said. – We consider this high status as an important message, evidence of understanding of the great opportunities and prospects in the development of our partnership, the desire to make it long-term and purposeful.

Our country, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted, fully shares such approach. In evaluation of the activity of SCO, the Turkmen side proceeds from the fact that this union based on mutual respect, and equality and possessing a strong political and economic potential, which has gained a high moral authority, today becomes a polar of attraction for many countries striving to create a zone of peace and stability, mutually beneficial and sustainable partnership in Eurasia.

Turkmenistan is ready for cooperation with SCO, establishment of multifaceted, flexible form and scheme of interaction in policy, security, economic, trade and investment, cultural and humanitarian areas. In the light of present complex processes, taking place in the modern world, a special responsibility for consolidation of states, promoting principles of peace, establishment of common strategy by them for maintenance of the global and regional architecture of security, non-admission of confrontation and unhealthy rivalry is required.

In this regard, the head of Turkmenistan marked that seeing in the name of SCO one of the most important pillars of continental stability, our country expresses its strive and readiness for establishment of closer and subject-oriented political and diplomatic interaction, cooperation in such spheres as combat of terrorism, extremism, organized crime, drugs trafficking, other types of illegal activities.

Further, developing on the topic of priority common goals of partnership, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov marked out protection and supremacy of law in the global scale and generally recognized international legal norms, principles and spirit of the UN Charter, their inviolability and unchangebility. In this connection, the head of the state informed heads of SCO member countries on the international initiatives of Turkmenistan to be set forth in the upcoming session of the UN General Assembly.

Promoting the philosophy of a trust-based dialogue in international relations, the Turkmen side is intended to initiate development of the draft of the resolution of the UN General Assembly «Dialogue is a Guarantee of Peace», expressing confidence that by adoption of such document a principle and unequivocal adherence of all member states of the United Nations to a peaceful, negotiating way of solution of conflict situations no matter how difficult they can be imagined, will be confirmed.

Proceeding from the fact that at present, revival of culture of respected political communication assumes a universal significance as one of the key conditions of a responsible, non-confrontational approach, search of opportunities for mutual understanding and observance of balance of interests at consideration of this or that problematic point, Turkmenistan will bring out for consideration of the UN General Assembly a proposal on declaration of the year 2025 «Year of peace and trust».

As an important area of cooperation, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov further pointed out, considering use of combined opportunities of Turkmenistan and SCO in prevention and neutralization of conflict situations at the regional level, first of all, in Central Asia. Turkmenistan highly appreciates the fact of joining a number of member states and observers of SCO the Group of friends of neutrality for peace, security and sustainable development created by the UN at the initiative of our country that ensures a good precondition for promotion of the peace making agenda.

Taking into account the fact that in December, 2022 the 15^th anniversary of the establishment of the UN Regional Centre for preventive diplomacy for Central Asia, founders of which are also member states of SCO, is marked, Turkmenistan is intended to submit for consideration of the General Assembly the draft of the next resolution on the role of the Centre highlighting in this document significant events of the past years, including announcement of the zone of peace, trust and cooperation in Central Asia. Our country hopes for support of these initiatives by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

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As the head of the state underlined, Turkmenistan is open for serious expansion and deepening of trade and economic partnership with SCO for which there are no only real opportunities, but is also an objective necessity. Presence of a strong and production basis in our country, geographical neighbourhood, already gained competence and experience of interaction in bilateral and multilateral formats ensures today most favourable conditions for adjustment of long-term stable links in transport, logistics, communications, energy, creation of trade and economic integrated corridors by the routes of North-South, Eat-West.

Turkmenistan is ready to discuss in practical terms issues to present its territory sand infrastructure in the interest of SCO for alignment of intercontinental and regional transit routes for transportation of goods and services. Last but not least is the role given to the Caspian route, taking into account presence of large multifunctional seaport in Turkmenbashi city on the Turkmen shore.

In his connection, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov expressed confidence in expediency of active participation of SCO in formation of a system of transport-transit corridors and logistics by the route of China-Central Asia-Caspian sea-Black Sea. At the same time, together with interested sides our country is ready for increase of efficiency of functioning of the transit corridor ensuring cargo transportation from the Russian ports on the Baltics to sea terminals in the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

Having noted that in the energy sphere, Turkmenistan is also ready for regular and long-term cooperation with SCO, the head of the state mentioned a proposal to start actively the planning of joint projects for diversification of supply of energy carriers with view of ensuring both the demand of member countries of the Organization and a future access to foreign markets. Our country, which has gained a rich experience for many years of interaction in the given sphere, possesses necessary resource capacities for significant increase in the volume of such supplies.

Bu using generally accepted practice of conduction of business in the oil and gas sphere, Turkmenistan supplies its natural gas to Russia, China and neighbouring countries. Today an active work is carried out to realize the project of the gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India.

In the given context, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov especially underlined the importance of participation of Afghanistan in these and other projects as one of key factors of restoration of its economy and social sphere and finally, achievement of peace and concordance. The top priority task is also to support the brotherly Afghan people with all-round economic and humanitarian assistance.

Turkmenistan stands for closer and efficient partnership with SCO in private business, creation of conditions for regular contacts of businesspersons.

The agenda of cooperation with SCO also includes such areas as culture, science, education, humanitarian contacts. Historical ties between our states have deep and age old roots and Turkmenistan fully supports their continuation and development.

At the end of his speech, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov underlined that close, friendly, brotherly relations with countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization were and remain to be one of the priorities of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan. «We are aware of great prospects of such partnership, highly appreciate the reached level of mutual understanding and openness, good neighbourhood and respect which distinguish our dialogue with SCO. We are ready to develop and enrich it», – the head of the state noted, confirming a firm commitment of Turkmenistan to long-term and strategic cooperation with SCO.

Thanking President Serdar Berdimuhamedov for a meaningful speech, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed confidence that strengthening cooperation with Turkmenistan within the framework of the SCO in such priority areas as transport and transit, trade, and energy would serve to expand regional partnership.

Upon completion of the program of his working visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan, the President of Turkmenistan headed towards the Samarkand international airport, from where he left for his country.

Having made a flight to Ashgabat, the presidential airline landed in the capital international airport, where officials welcomed the head of the state.