On 10 December 2022, a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development will be held in Ashgabat in a hybrid format.
The Group was officially established on the initiative of Turkmenistan in September 2020 and has now been joined by more than 20 countries, in particular, co-authors of the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly “International Neutrality Day” of 2 February 2017, “The role and importance of the policy of neutrality in maintaining and strengthening international peace, security and sustainable development” of 7 December 2020.
This informal association serves as a platform for maintaining a broad multilateral dialogue under the auspices of the UN on the practical implementation of the principles of neutrality in preventing conflicts, eliminating their causes and consequences, and resolving humanitarian issues.
Turkmenistan believes that regular meetings of the Group of Friends of Neutrality will lead to the establishment of a stable political and diplomatic mechanism for promoting the principles of neutrality in international relations, and strengthening multilateral cooperation based on the ideals of peace, mutual respect and understanding.
In order to facilitate regular dialogue internationally, in particular within the United Nations, on the practical use of peacekeeping potential of states building their policies on the principles of neutrality, Turkmenistan initiated the establishment of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development.
The upcoming meeting of the High-level Group will consider future institutional steps to define the format and working methods of this multilateral dialogue as a tool for consolidating global peace and security.
All proposals on the format and working methods of the Group will be summarized in the Ministerial Declaration.
United Nations Member States, international, regional and sub- regional organizations are invited to participate in the Meeting.
Concept Note of the High-Level Meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development is available here: https://www.mfa.gov.tm/en/articles/676
///nCa, 13 November 2022