A delegation from Turkmenistan, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Hajiyev, attended the 30th meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council, held in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, from 30 November to 1 December 2023.
The meeting brought together heads and representatives of foreign affairs agencies from the 57 OSCE participating states, as well as delegations from 11 partner countries. The Council was chaired by the current OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Macedonia Bujar Osmani.
The meeting served as a platform for foreign ministers to discuss pressing security issues in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions and to evaluate the organization’s multifaceted activities.
In his address, the Turkmen representative underscored Turkmenistan’s high regard for North Macedonia’s successful chairmanship of the Organization in 2023.
Hajiyev reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s unwavering commitment to cooperation with the OSCE and upholding its core values. He also outlined and emphasized Turkmenistan’s goals, priorities, and initiatives in line with the three dimensions of the OSCE’s work.
Turkmenistan’s proposals included:
- Enhancing border security through technological collaboration
- Establishing a unified database for information sharing
- Expanding professional dialogue
- Recognizing the criticality of climate change, Turkmenistan advocated for a comprehensive water strategy for Central Asia and proposed the establishment of a Regional Climate Technology Center.
- Additionally, in the realm of transport and connectivity, Turkmenistan’s commitment was stressed by its recent initiatives, including the development of the Turkmenbashi International Seaport and the proposed Central Asian Transport and Logistics Platform.
Concluding his remarks, Vepa Hajiyev reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s readiness for active and constructive engagement, emphasizing the country’s commitment to addressing regional challenges and fostering sustainable prosperity. ///nCa, 2 December 2023