Oriented on making people closer

Turkmenistan actively cooperates with the Commonwealth of Independent States in various fields. The CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev spoke about the country’s role in integration projects in the Commonwealth in an exclusive interview with MIR TV channel.

“I am glad to have the opportunity to talk about this, about the role of Turkmenistan in the CIS, about its participation in integration projects. Because I see that Turkmenistan’s role is often belittled in the media. There are even some incompetent authors who periodically claim that Turkmenistan is not a member of the Commonwealth and does not participate in its affairs. It is not true. And I would like to refute these inaccurate formulations, inaccurate information,” Lebedev explained at the beginning of the conversation. Below are excerpts from the interview.

On the status of an associate member

– Turkmenistan is an active participant in all integration projects and integration cooperation. But there is one feature. In 2005, all CIS states recognized Turkmenistan’s associate membership. Why was such an associate member status adopted in the CIS? Because Turkmenistan has declared a policy of permanent neutrality. This course, this line, this policy has been recognized by the UN as the status of a neutral state. This imposes its own peculiarities on Turkmenistan’s participation in our affairs,” the CIS Secretary General said.

Turkmenistan participates as an observer, as a rule, in matters related to military cooperation, in some issues of political interaction, and as for the humanitarian sphere, economic cooperation, Turkmenistan is sometimes more active here than other CIS member states. From the lips of the leaders of Turkmenistan, first of all the presidents, and the previous one, Gurbanguly Malikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov, and the current president Serdar Gurbangulyevich, many initiatives have already been voiced aimed at strengthening cooperation within the framework of the Commonwealth.

About the events of the Commonwealth in Turkmenistan

– As a participant in many events within the CIS that have taken place and are taking place on the territory of Turkmenistan, I want to give specific examples of such interaction. Turkmenistan has already been chairman of the Commonwealth of Independent States several times. Some States in our country shy away from assuming the presidency for various reasons. Turkmenistan calmly assumes such a function and has very successfully and effectively held two presidencies within the CIS.

Within the framework of Turkmenistan’s chairmanship in Ashgabat, many important events were held in other cities of this state, which contributed to strengthening cooperation, strengthening friendship, and good-neighborliness in relations between the CIS states. Two cities of Turkmenistan have twice been declared cultural capitals of the CIS. These are the city of Dashoguz and the city of Mary. Many cultural events have been held in both of these regional centers. Artists, figures of art, science, education, and athletes came there. I would like to say with special gratitude to my Turkmen colleagues and the leadership of Turkmenistan that Turkmenistan has excellent venues for holding major forums and international conferences. These sites are not empty. I myself have participated in many international conferences not only within the CIS, but also within the framework of the United Nations, which were held in Ashgabat and in other cities of this Republic, and were quite effective.

On cooperation with the UN and the countries of the region

– I would like to highlight the United Nations Organization, because the leadership of Turkmenistan attaches special importance to its initiatives, its actions, and its participation in the UN. The leaders of the Republic regularly speak at the UN General Assembly, and not just speak, but put forward important initiatives within the framework of the UN. In addition, based on the importance that Turkmenistan attaches to the United Nations Organization, it was in Ashgabat that the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia was located. This center was opened in December 2007, I had the happy opportunity to attend the opening of this center, and it has taken its rightful place in many international affairs related to Central Asia.

I am pleased to say that the CIS Executive Committee is working closely with the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat. I have been to this center many times. And the heads of the center, there have already been several heads in recent years, they were in our CIS Executive Committee. Most recently, I hosted the current head of the Center, representative of Georgia Kakha Imnadze, at the CIS Executive Committee.

On humanitarian cooperation

– Within the framework of humanitarian cooperation, the “Cultural Capitals of the CIS" programs were implemented in Mary and Dashoguz. A forum of creative and scientific intelligentsia of the CIS countries was held in Ashgabat, which brought together representatives of culture, education and Commonwealth countries. I also participated in the work of this forum.

Sports events at a very high level are held on the territory of Turkmenistan. A good playground has been created in Turkmenistan for school sports. State Duma deputy Irina Rodnina took custody of this area of our sports cooperation and came to Avaza with schoolchildren at the invitation of the leadership of Turkmenistan. It is a major cultural and tourist center in Turkmenistan on the shores of the Caspian Sea. And Turkmenistan received schoolchildren from all CIS countries very well, and contributed to the development of school sports.

In addition, I would like to note the successful performance of Turkmen athletes at various sports events within the CIS. Last year, the Commonwealth Sports Games were held in Belarus in August, and Turkmenistan presented a solid delegation there. A lot of athletes from Turkmenistan were represented, who, by the way, took a lot of prizes and received medals.

About the economic sphere

– Turkmenistan is also quite active here. At the initiative of Turkmenistan, the heads of state adopted in Ashgabat in 2019 a very important document – the Declaration on Strategic Economic Cooperation of the CIS member states. This document was later used as the basis for another important document “On the Strategy of economic development of the CIS until 2030”, which was later adopted. The CIS Economic Development Strategy was based on precisely those proposals of Turkmenistan that were made in the Declaration on Strategic Economic Cooperation of the Commonwealth countries.

The leadership of Turkmenistan pays great attention to the development of transport corridors. Turkmenistan is a transit state with a very advantageous location. Transport routes run through the country from north to south, from east to west. Turkmenistan is an initiator and an active participant in the development and improvement of transport corridors. He does not only initiates, but also actively develops these transport routes.

About Magtymguly Pyragy

– The year 2024 has been declared the year under the motto “The Storehouse of the mind of Magtymguly Pyragy ”. This year marks the 300 th anniversary of his birth. This is a significant date. And I want to say, firstly, as a native of Central Asia (Lebedev was born in the Uzbek city of Jizzakh, where he graduated from high school. – ORENT’s note) that the name of Magtymguly is known not only in Turkmenistan, in Central Asia, it is known all over the world as the name of a great poet, writer, thinker, philosopher. And if before many people only knew his name, then this anniversary, the 300 th anniversary, just served to bring people into closer contact directly with his work, with his poetry, with his thoughts. I myself looked through the book of poems given to me by Magtymguly. And there, indeed, many works and poems make you think. These are reflections on life, on human relationships, philosophical reflections. It is very interesting to read and, most importantly, informative.

I have just returned from Belarus, and there, at a meeting of the Council of Permanent Plenipotentiaries of the CIS countries, a presentation was presented dedicated to this date – the 300 th anniversary of Magtymguly.

It was received with interest by the ambassadors of the Commonwealth countries and other participants of the presentation. And it is even more important for me that the ambassadors of the Commonwealth countries supported the holding of this year and expressed their readiness to do everything possible to help celebrate this anniversary and significant date. I would like to emphasize once again that it is significant not only for Turkmenistan, but also for the entire Commonwealth of Independent States.

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Photo: mir24.tv