Parliamentarians of Europe and Central Asia spoke in Ashgabat for neutrality in dialogue
An international forum on the topic "The role of neutral states in strengthening security, stability and dialogue in the OSCE region" was held in Ashgabat on Tuesday. The event was organized by the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA) within the framework of the "Call to Action - Helsinki +50" initiative.
OSCE PA Chairman Margareta Söderfelt, members of the OSCE PA Bureau, prominent international experts arrived in the Turkmen capital to participate in the forum. The Forum brought together parliamentarians from Central Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, heads of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in the country, representatives of academia and students.
In her opening speech, the Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan Dunyagozel Gulmanova stressed the importance of dialogue as a guarantee of peace, which is enshrined in the UN General Assembly resolution adopted in 2022 on the initiative of Turkmenistan.
The Head of the OSCE PA Margareta Söderfelt stressed the crucial role of neutral states, which help to strengthen peaceful relations between people and countries, allowing them to jointly solve complex issues and achieve mutually beneficial solutions.
Ambassador John McGregor spoke about the importance of preventive diplomacy in strengthening stability and security in the OSCE region. He pointed to the existing OSCE mechanisms and tools available for use by participating States.
At two sessions of the forum, participants discussed the general principles and various models of neutrality, its importance for the development of dialogue and achieving greater economic, social and political progress.
Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Shakirov stressed the role of the OSCE in uniting 57 states and its contribution to international security. Noting the role of the OSCE toolkit in promoting dialogue, Kyrgyz MP Mirgul Temirbayeva stated that strengthening regional cooperation between Central Asian states and promoting integration processes are among the main priorities of Kyrgyzstan's foreign policy.
During the open debate, the participants focused on the role of neutral States in strengthening security and stability in the region, as well as their potential as intermediaries.
In the light of geopolitical challenges, Tajik MP Muhammad Shodien stressed the need for a closer constructive dialogue between the countries of the region. Ravshanbek Alimov, a member of the Parliament of Uzbekistan, in his speech focused on the mechanisms of parliamentary diplomacy, noting the OSCE PA as one of the most important structures for political dialogue.
At the closing session of the event organized with the support of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, the OSCE PA high-level expert Ambassador Lamberto Zannier (Italian diplomat, OSCE Secretary General in 2011-2017) called on the Central Asian delegations to maintain a constructive dialogue at the regional level using the OSCE PA forums.
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