By putting forward new innovative initiatives in developing balanced solutions on current issues and problems of the global agenda, Turkmenistan makes a significant contribution to the overall efforts to strengthen security and stability, achieving the goals of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Development until 2030 on a regional and international scale. Our country, integrating into the global political, economic and legal space, is realizing in practice its rich creative potential for the benefit of all humanity.

A clear indication of this was a number of important proposals by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, made by him at the regular meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States held recently in Bishkek.

Noting that this meeting is a continuation of a systematic and multifaceted dialogue within the CIS on priority issues of the global and regional agendas, the head of Turkmenistan expressed confidence that the interaction of states in the Commonwealth format is an important factor in ensuring conditions for the successful promotion of cooperation on current topics.

As you know, our country, being an associated member of the CIS, participates in its activities in accordance with its neutral status recognized by the United Nations. Our proposals put forward within the Commonwealth fully meet the initiatives of Turkmenistan declared within the Community of Nations, said President Serdar Berdimuhamedov. This primarily relates to issues of ensuring peace and security.

As the head of the Turkmen state further emphasized, recent international events clearly demonstrate that maintaining peace, strengthening security and stability will be the main priorities of world politics. In this context, today Turkmenistan, taking into account the realities and trends of global development, proposes to begin discussing the possibilities of developing a Global Security Strategy under the auspices of the UN. This initiative was announced during the 78th session of the General Assembly.

Specifying the three important directions of this Strategy, the first of them was President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who outlined the principles of preventive diplomacy as a tool for preventing and neutralizing conflicts and threats, and eradicating the causes that give rise to them.

The second key component of the Strategy is the use of the potential of positive neutrality as a political and legal category, which serves as the most important factor in the peaceful resolution of disputes and contradictions through the use of the entire arsenal of diplomatic means and methods. In this regard, the unique international legal status of Turkmenistan as a neutral state, its positive experience in peacekeeping mediation and its commitment to non-confrontational resolution of interstate issues were noted.

Thirdly, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov continued, it seems important to take into account in the Strategy the importance of restoring a culture of trusting dialogue as a guarantee of ensuring peace. In this regard, the role of the decisions of the UN General Assembly initiated by Turkmenistan to proclaim 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust and 2023 as the Year of Dialogue as a guarantee of peace was emphasized. Time has confirmed the relevance of these resolutions for the present moment.

– We consider the development of the Strategy as an important step towards strengthening the atmosphere of mutual understanding and cooperation, including within the Commonwealth, as well as for resolving pressing issues of a political, economic, environmental, environmental, and humanitarian nature, in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in general, – noted the head of Turkmenistan.

In this regard, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov focused on activities to further strengthen multilateral partnership within the framework of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, created on the initiative of the Turkmen side within the UN. Turkmenistan proposed holding the next high-level meeting of the Group in Ashgabat in December this year, followed by the organization of an International Conference in 2024, and hopes for active interaction between the CIS member states within the framework of the above-mentioned initiative.

Expressing confidence that the interests of our countries will coincide when discussing the possibility of establishing an Institute of Neutrality and Security, designed to become an effective platform for analytical research on neutrality and related issues, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov confirmed his readiness to provide all the necessary infrastructure and conditions for this in Ashgabat.

Relevant for the format of cooperation within the Commonwealth are Turkmenistan’s proposals to create a Conference/Dialogue on Security in Central Asia under the auspices of the UN. The goal of the Meeting is to develop approaches and solutions aimed at bringing together and synchronizing the efforts of the countries of Central Asia and other interested states, international organizations, financial and economic institutions in ensuring sustainable, conflict-free development of the region. The Turkmen side invites the Commonwealth countries to take part in the first meeting of the Conference in Ashgabat next year.

The head of Turkmenistan also spoke about the need to consolidate further efforts to counter such serious challenges of the modern world as the terrorist threat, drug trafficking and their precursors, human trafficking, penetration of radical and extremist elements into the CIS space, on issues related to cyber threats and other challenges.

In this way, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, having put forward the above proposals to find ways to resolve pressing issues, proceeds from the fact that Turkmenistan’s initiatives are aimed at maintaining strong and long-term peace and security within the Commonwealth, and also serve as a significant contribution to promoting diplomacy of peace and harmony throughout planet.