On 15 February 2024, the first meeting of the heads of parliaments of the member countries of the Friends of Neutrality Group “The role of parliamentary cooperation in strengthening peace and dialogue” was held by the Mejlis of Turkmenistan in a hybrid format, the International Information Center of Turkmenistan reports.
Welcoming the participants of the meeting, Chairman of the parliament of Turkmenistan Dunyagozel Gulmanova noted that peaceful and positive neutrality is the basis of the country’s foreign policy. “Turkmenistan’s parliamentary diplomacy is successfully carried out in accordance with the legal status of neutrality. It is implemented by establishing bilateral and multilateral relations with parliaments of foreign countries, and by participating in the work of international parliamentary organizations. And this is an important tool to support the international initiatives of our neutral state,” she said.
Kaha Imnadze, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, and Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan, also underlined that Turkmenistan is increasingly actively promoting the agenda of peace, development and cooperation at the global and regional levels, and offers constructive solutions to a number of complex global and regional challenges.
Video messages from international figures emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy as it creates opportunities for dialogue between direct representatives of citizens, who, first of all, are parliamentarians. This allows to discuss in detail important and pressing topics for people, look for new points of contact and propose such initiatives that will be really in demand and supported.
The importance of further intensification of fruitful cooperation between the national parliaments of the participating states of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, which will contribute to the development of balanced solutions to urgent problems of our time, strengthening traditional relations of friendship, mutual understanding and trust between countries and peoples.
Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalia Kochanova, Deputy Chairman of the Jogorku Kenesh of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurlanbek Azigaliev, Chairman of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, Chairman of the Parliament of Ghana Alban Suman Kingsford Bagbin, Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma Sholban Kara-ool, parliamentarians from Qatar, Morocco and Kazakhstan addressed the meeting.
Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Union Martin Chungong, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan Tanzila Narbayeva sent video messages to the participants of the meeting.
The Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development is an informal association of UN member states created on the initiative of Turkmenistan. The group includes 26 countries. It provides a platform for the development of a multilateral dialogue on the practical application of the principles of neutrality in order to prevent conflicts, eliminate their causes and consequences, as well as in solving humanitarian problems.
Xinhua: China calls on members of neutrality group to promote global governance
China’s top legislator Zhao Leji on Thursday called on member states of the Group of Friends of Neutrality to jointly promote the development of the global governance system in a more just and equitable direction.
Zhao, chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, made the remarks when addressing a virtual meeting of parliamentary leaders of the Group of Friends of Neutrality members via video, at the invitation of Dunyagozel Gulmanowa, chairperson of the National Assembly (Mejlis) of Turkmenistan.
Since its establishment more than three years ago, the Group of Friends of Neutrality has committed itself to promoting international peace, security and sustainable development, and has become a useful platform for practicing multilateralism and promoting win-win cooperation, Zhao said.
Hailing Turkmenistan’s important and constructive role in international and regional affairs as a permanently neutral state established by the United Nations, as well as the initiator of the group, Zhao said China is willing to work with the group’s members to promote the effective implementation of the three global initiatives proposed by China and to build a community with a shared future for humanity.
Zhao also called on all parties to firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, to practice genuine multilateralism, and increase the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs.
Noting that China and Turkmenistan are good friends, partners and brothers, Zhao said bilateral relations have been continuously upgraded since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries 32 years ago.
China-Turkmenistan relations enjoy great potential for development, Zhao said, adding that China is ready to join hands with Turkmenistan to implement the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries, continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and enrich cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
The head of the UNRCCA highly appreciated the efforts of the Friends of Neutrality group to steadily promote the principle of neutrality
In his speech at the forum, Kaha Imnadze, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, highly marked the efforts of the Group of Friends of Neutrality in steadfast promotion of the principle of neutrality taking into consideration numerous security related challenges at the global and regional levels. In this context, he encouraged parliamentarians to strengthen their interaction and cooperation under the initiative of the Group of Friends of Neutrality aimed to achieve global peace and security.
The during meeting, a peer-to-peer exchange took place on the best practices in conflict prevention and mediation employed by parliamentarians at regional and global level.
The role of neutral nations such as Turkmenistan in their efforts to promote peace and stability through strictly abiding by principles of neutrality was particularly emphasized.
Russia Praises Turkmenistan’s Neutrality at Friends of Neutrality Group Meeting
Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, Chairman of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Valentina Matvienko highly appreciated the efforts of the leadership of Turkmenistan to coordinate the activities of the Friends of Neutrality Group. “Russia deeply respects the policy of neutrality proclaimed by Turkmenistan as the basis of its foreign policy,” she said.
Matvienko recalled that Ashgabat regularly hosts major international forums, including through the parliamentary line. “It was in the capital of Turkmenistan that the Interparliamentary Forum of Central Asian countries and Russia was launched, which, with the support of Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, is planned to be held in the so-called “Ashgabat format” on a regular basis.”
The Speaker of the Federation Council stressed that Russia is interested in forming a Large Eurasian Partnership as a space of cooperation and interaction of like-minded people, where various integration processes will be intertwined.
According to Matvienko, proclaiming neutrality, working on building trust and equal security, and not dividing lines, is a responsible step. “In today’s world, it takes a special character and resilience to remain a truly neutral state, as Turkmenistan does”, she said.
In this regard, the head of the Federation Council noted that the ideological basis of the Friends of Neutrality Group fully corresponds to the spirit of the UN Charter, its goals and principles. ///nCa, 16 February 2024