Peace, energy, transport – Turkmenistan highlighted the main tracks of cooperation with the EU
Maintaining international peace and security is a key priority for interaction with the EU in the long term. This was stated by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov at the 19th ministerial meeting “Central Asia - European Union”, which was held on Monday, October 23, in Luxembourg.
The head of the Foreign Ministry especially drew the attention of his colleagues to the initiative to develop a Global Security Strategy put forward by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. The Turkmen diplomat informed about the main directions of this Strategy, focused on preventive diplomacy, using neutrality for peaceful solutions and restoring trust and dialogue, according to a press release from the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.
Meredov also noted the EU’s support in strengthening transit ties and developing the private sector in Central Asia, touched upon the issue of Turkmenistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization and interaction with European partners in this direction.
Stressing the need to create new transport links connecting Central Asia and Europe, the minister highlighted multilateral efforts to develop the Caspian Sea-Black Sea route and proposed holding a high-level meeting on transport connectivity in Turkmenistan in 2024.
Rashid Meredov stated that the transportation of energy resources is crucial for Turkmenistan and emphasized expanding gas exports to Europe through the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline.
The participating countries of the format supported the holding of the next anniversary ministerial meeting “Central Asia - EU” in 2024 in Turkmenistan. Before this, on January 29-30, 2024, the EU-Central Asia Investment Forum will be held in Brussels with the participation of high-ranking officials, international financial institutions and business. The purpose of the forum is to expand and strengthen transport links between the two regions.
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