President Serdar Berdimuhamedov paid a working visit to the Russian Federation, where he took part in the informal CIS Summit of the Heads of States, which has become traditional in recent years.
In a conversation held at the air harbour of the capital with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to our country I. Volynkin, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov noted with satisfaction the effective nature of the interstate dialogue, built on the solid foundation of a strategic partnership that meets the fundamental interests of the two friendly peoples.
As the Ambassador emphasised, Russia highly valued its fruitful relations with Turkmenistan, attaching great importance to the comprehensive deepening of the bilateral cooperation in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. Noting the great potential for further intensifying productive ties in all key areas, the diplomat expressed confidence that the participation of Head of State Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the informal meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth countries was intended to facilitate the further expansion of the fruitful Turkmen-Russian partnership and would also be an effective step in the development of multilateral cooperation within the CIS space.
...Our independent neutral Motherland, which takes an active position in addressing current issues on the global agenda, makes a significant contribution to ensuring peace, security, trust and sustainable development on the planet. At the same time, special attention is paid to deepening constructive dialogue with all interested parties, primarily within the framework of authoritative international organisations and regional structures.
Turkmenistan, which by virtue of its neutral status is an associated member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, builds relations with the CIS member states on an equal and mutually beneficial basis, taking into account the common goals and national interests of each party. This position of our country contributes to the strengthening of historically strong bonds of friendship and good neighbourliness and effective ties and to the successful implementation of significant major joint projects in various fields.
Being invariably committed to strategic partnership with the CIS states in both bilateral and multilateral formats, Turkmenistan strives to do everything possible to strengthen mutually beneficial relations within the Commonwealth space and to fill mutual interaction with new specific content. Vivid evidence of this is the regular participation of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov in the CIS Summits and the timely initiatives put forward.
...A few hours later, the presidential airliner landed at Pulkovo International Airport in St. Petersburg, where the Head of Turkmenistan was met by officials.
The Summit was also attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Before the Summit, the heads of the CIS member countries, in accordance with the programme of the stay of the distinguished guests in St. Petersburg, visited the sights of the cultural capital of Russia. In particular, they acquainted themselves with the exhibitions at the Pavlovsk State Museum-Reserve, the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Reserve in the town of Pushkin and the Peterhof State Museum-Reserve.
...The motorcade of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov proceeded to the complex of the Pavlovsk State Museum-Reserve. At the main entrance, the Head of Turkmenistan was warmly and cordially greeted by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
In the afternoon, the informal Summit took place at the State Complex of the Congress Palace, located in the Constantine Palace.
Opening the Summit, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin once again warmly greeted everyone, expressing gratitude for the accepted invitation to visit St. Petersburg to participate in the informal pre-New Year Summit.
During the speech, a brief analysis of the results of the work carried out during the current year was given and the key areas of joint activities within the CIS format for the near future were identified.
Overall, 2023 was a fruitful and productive year for the Commonwealth. This can be confirmed by the fact that all the foreseen events were successfully carried out, and the agreements reached are intended to promote the further expansion of cooperation among friendly countries in all areas and the implementation of new mutually beneficial economic, transport, logistics, cultural, humanitarian and other projects.
Key international issues of mutual interest were also the subject of an interesting discussion.
It should be noted that an important factor for successful activities within the Commonwealth space, of course, is that all member countries of the Organisation are committed to the fundamental principles laid down in the foundation of partnership at the regional and global level. At the same time, over the past years, the CIS states have steadily followed the course of cooperation, the reliable basis of which is goodwill, equality and trust of the parties.
The Summit is another vivid confirmation of the mutual desire and determination of neighbouring countries in the region to bring the traditionally fruitful dialogue to a qualitatively new level and to give it a more comprehensive and intensive character, based on the accumulated positive experience of joint activities and the achievements of national economies and taking into account the existing colossal economic and resource potential of all parties.
Considering the Commonwealth of Independent States as a unique platform for building long-term partnerships, our country regularly puts forward specific proposals, the main goal of which is to develop effective forms of interaction that are in demand over time.
In this context, it should be reminded that during the regular meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State, held on October 13 this year, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov put forward new constructive initiatives, the practical implementation of which is intended to give an effective impetus to the long-term interstate relations within the CIS format and to ensure security, stability and sustainable development not only in the Commonwealth, but also in the world.
At the same time, it is important to stress that the priority positions of Turkmenistan, voiced at the Summit in Bishkek, fully comply with the initiatives presented by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov from the high rostrum of the General Assembly of the Community of Nations. In particular, these are a discussion of the possibilities of developing a Global Security Strategy under the auspices of the UN, the establishment of the Institute of Neutrality and Security, the further strengthening of multilateral partnership within the framework of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, created on the initiative of the Turkmen party within the walls of the UN, and the creation under the auspices of the UN of a Meeting/Dialogue on Security in Central Asia.
Along with this, during the summit meeting held in the autumn of 2023, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov spoke in favour of consolidating further efforts to counter such serious challenges of the modern world as the terrorist threat, drug trafficking, human trafficking, the penetration of radical and extremist elements into the CIS space, cyber threats and others.
Undoubtedly, the priority area of partnership within the Commonwealth is the economy. In this regard, it is important to mention that in 2019 at the CIS Summit in Ashgabat, the Declaration on Strategic Economic Cooperation of the Commonwealth member states, developed on the initiative of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Hero-Arkadag Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, was signed. This document formed the basis of the later adopted CIS Economic Development Strategy until 2030, which provides for close interaction in the areas of trade, industrial cooperation, transport, energy, investment and other sectors. These are precisely the sectors in which the Commonwealth states can compete worthily in foreign markets and offer potential partners favourable conditions for productive cooperation.
Noting the importance of promoting the economic interests of the CIS beyond its geographical boundaries and integrating neighbouring countries and neighbouring regions into joint projects, the Turkmen party has repeatedly put forward initiatives to diversify energy, transport and communication components in the context of the development of the large-scale infrastructure corridors North–South and East–West. The states of the Commonwealth, united by geography and age-old relations of friendship and brotherhood, in the modern era have objective advantages, the optimal use of which is in the interests of general wellbeing.
Partnership in the humanitarian sphere remains a one key within the CIS format. The cultural interconnection and spiritual closeness of the peoples of our countries and the centuries-old common history are the solid foundation on which integration processes within the Commonwealth are built.
In this context, it should also be noted that the main topic of the agenda of the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS member states, held on December 18 of this year, was the expansion of contacts in this direction. Interaction in the spheres of science, education, culture, art, youth policy, health care and sports, in the mutual opinion of the heads of the Commonwealth countries, is an integral factor in bringing countries and peoples closer together and strengthening trusting relations among them.
Another significant vector of interaction on the CIS platform is through parliaments, actively using the experience of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth for these purposes. In this regard, it is important to note that Turkmenistan believes that, taking into account the increased role of parliamentary diplomacy in the modern world, such a format, uniting the heads of parliaments of the CIS states, is more than in demand today.
Our country stands for increasing the international authority of the Commonwealth of Independent States and its positive influence on modern global and regional processes. Through all these years, the CIS states have firmly defended the principles of equality and respect in interstate relations, have advocated the establishment of a culture of peace and dialogue on the global agenda and have strengthened stability and security on the planet, making a significant contribution to the implementation of the SDGs.
In this context, their active and productive interaction on the platforms of international and regional organisations and the established practice of mutual support when considering and adopting important resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and voting on candidates to the elected bodies of the UN are very indicative.
Recently, at the 49th plenary meeting of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, held on December 19 this year, the Resolutions presented by Turkmenistan “The key role of reliable and stable energy connectivity in ensuring sustainable development” and “Strengthening the links between all modes of transport to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”, co-authored by Commonwealth partner countries, were considered and unanimously adopted.
The support provided by the CIS member states to each other on the international arena is evidence that the Commonwealth countries, which have an enormous political and diplomatic potential, act from consolidated positions in the United Nations and other authoritative international and regional structures. At the same time, all member countries proceed from the need to return to world politics respect for the law, a culture of dialogue, trust and predictability in relations between states.
It is this approach that has allowed the Commonwealth of Independent States for more than thirty years to maintain flexibility and to develop mechanisms, aimed at building up integration processes within the CIS in promising vectors of multilateral partnership, and in general determines the existence of this Association as an integral element of the system of international stability and security.
At the Summit, special emphasis was placed on the importance of giving the traditional partnership a qualitatively new content, based on the common goals and objectives. At the same time, the need to create effective mechanisms for systemic political consultations among the CIS member countries, taking into account the accumulated positive experience of joint work, was also noted.
During the exchange of views on priority areas of interaction with a view to the near and long term, the heads of state expressed firm confidence that the decisions made and agreements reached that year within the framework of various forums, events and meetings would contribute to the deepening of interstate relations within the CIS space in the general interests and for the benefit of friendly peoples.
In general, the meeting in an informal format, at which issues of both the regional and international agenda were discussed, became another vivid confirmation of the desire of the CIS member countries to continue jointly building cooperation in the Commonwealth space in the spirit of strategic partnership, mutual benefit and the consideration of all states’ interests.
At the end of the working visit to the Russian Federation, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov headed to Pulkovo International Airport, from where he departed for his homeland.
In a conversation held in the air harbour of Ashgabat, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkmenistan I. Volynkin congratulated President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on the success of his working visit and noted the participation of the Head of Turkmenistan in the informal Summit served as evidence of the productively developing interstate relations based on the principles of mutual respect, equality and community of spiritual and moral values of the peoples of the CIS countries. At the same time, firm confidence was expressed that the traditionally friendly Turkmen-Russian cooperation would continue to be strengthened on a mutually beneficial long-term basis, filled with new specific content.