On December 10, on the eve of the International Day of Neutrality, which is celebrated on December 12, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov held an expanded meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers with the participation of the heads of diplomatic missions and consular offices of Turkmenistan, the TDH state news agency reported .
A separate topic of the meeting was the neutral status of Turkmenistan.
The head of state recalled that at the UN sessions in 2020-2021, the Resolutions "The Role and Significance of the Policy of Neutrality in Maintaining and Strengthening International Peace, Security and Sustainable Development" and "The Role of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia" were adopted. At the same time, "in the interests of peace, security and sustainable development" on the initiative of Ashgabat, a Group of Friends of Neutrality was created .
Berdimuhamedov noted that more than 20 countries have already joined this Group and instructed representatives of Turkmenistan to the UN, other international organizations, as well as all ambassadors abroad to work to increase its members.
“It is necessary to convincingly and reasonably convey to the partners the beneficial aspects of participation in such a format of relations. Having achieved an increase in the number of members of the Group on the scale of the region and countries, it is necessary to support its activities with practical measures and initiatives, ”Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.
The President also named economic partnership a priority of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan and suggested strengthening the staff of the embassies with experienced economists of international qualifications , providing them with the necessary funds and creating conditions for active participation in events.
“In addition, it is necessary to focus on cooperation of Turkmenistan with the WTO, to study the experience of participation in it of those countries whose economic indicators are similar to ours,” the head of Turkmenistan said.
On November 25, Turkmenistan applied to join the WTO. In July 2020, the country received observer status in the organization.
At the meeting, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a Resolution “On financial issues of the diplomatic service of Turkmenistan”. This document approves the costs and staffing of foreign embassies and permanent missions to international organizations, as well as provides social benefits for diplomatic workers and their families.
At the end of the event, the President awarded members of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of state agencies, diplomats and university professors with commemorative signs and medals, and said that on the 11th they would take part in the International Conference on the 26th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan