Dear Heads of State! Dear members of the delegations!
Allow me to express my gratitude to the distinguished President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Sharifovich Rahmon for the warm hospitality and excellent conditions created for fruitful joint work.
Let me also welcome the distinguished Ilham Heydarovich as an honorary guest of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of Central Asian States.
Turkmenistan attaches fundamental importance to the format of Consultative Meetings of the Heads of Central Asian States as an interstate mechanism designed to guarantee the maintenance of an atmosphere of friendship, good-neighborliness and constructive regional cooperation in the interests of our peoples.
During today’s meeting, we will discuss issues of further development of cooperation in order to strengthen political interaction, ensure sustainable economic growth, deepen humanitarian ties and jointly respond to challenges and threats to regional security.
Of course, setting specific goals for ourselves, we proceed from the fact that the key condition for achieving them is lasting and long-term peace, security and stability in our region, based on mutual respect, consideration of interests, adherence to recognized norms of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
In this regard, I would like to note the special significance of the UN General Assembly resolution of 18 July 2022 declaring Central Asia a Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation.
We consider the adoption of this document as an important step towards strengthening the atmosphere of mutual understanding and cooperation in our region, turning Central Asia into a space of lasting peace and security for solving economic, environmental, humanitarian tasks and achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
Turkmenistan will continue to work actively in this direction during the upcoming 78th session of the General Assembly. We intend to propose to the world community a number of initiatives, including those directly related to the development of our region. In particular:
The first is the creation of a Dialogue on Security and Cooperation in Central Asia under the auspices of the UN. Its goal is to develop approaches and solutions aimed at bringing together and synchronizing the efforts of the Central Asian countries in ensuring sustainable, conflict–free development of our region. We are ready to host the first meeting of such a Dialogue in 2024.
The second is the beginning of consultations with relevant UN agencies to determine the optimal format and structure of the UN Special Program for the Aral Sea Basin.
The third is the establishment of a specialized structure – the Regional Center for Technologies Related to Climate Change in Central Asia. We are ready to provide all the necessary infrastructure to host the Center in Ashgabat.
Dear Heads of State!
The most important task is to expand trade and economic relations between our countries and increase the volume of mutual trade turnover.
I believe effective measures are essential. I propose we consider establishing a Central Asian Chamber of Commerce.
The purpose of its work is to coordinate our joint steps in the development of trade; to ensure the commercial interests of all potential economic entities of the Central Asian market; to attract investment for the implementation of major regional projects.
There is another area where the interests and goals of the Central Asian states must be reliably secured and implemented, and where we cannot allow lagging in any case. We are talking about innovations and new technologies.
Our countries have a great potential for innovative growth, good scientific schools and technological developments. It is necessary to combine these advantages, to establish an exchange of experience, knowledge, skills, to study and implement advanced foreign competencies together, to provide the most favorable conditions for the development of innovative knowledge, to encourage youth creative initiative.
I believe that giving the economies of our countries a pronounced innovative character and a digital dimension is of paramount importance today. It’s better to do it together.
In this regard, it is proposed to create a Council of Central Asian countries on New technologies, which will coordinate joint efforts in this direction.
Such a Council could take over the functions of a think tank for the formation of a joint strategy of our states on new technologies, make appropriate recommendations and develop specific proposals.
Another key component of the economy of the Central Asian states is energy.
Currently, the region is experiencing the process of forming political, legal and economic conditions for a sustainable energy partnership, focused both on meeting intraregional demand and on accessing world markets through international transit corridors.
Turkmenistan is ready to supply its natural gas and electricity to Central Asian countries and through their territories to foreign markets on mutually beneficial terms. We propose to consider this proposal from the point of view of establishing long-term cooperation between our states.
In this regard, it seems appropriate to create a new form of five–sided interaction – the Energy Dialogue of the Central Asian countries.
The transport sector has been and remains a strategic component of cooperation.
It should be noted that our joint efforts are gradually creating favorable conditions for cargo and passenger traffic between the countries of Central Asia, as well as with other regions of the Eurasian continent.
In this regard, it is proposed to consider the possibility of launching a Central Asian transport and logistics platform, the main task of which could be to consider the creation of transport hubs in the region, the formation of new and improving the efficiency of existing transit corridors, optimization and harmonization of customs, migration and other procedures along international transport routes passing through the territories of our states.
I am confident that mutually beneficial cooperation in the above areas will give a good impetus to economic growth, create prerequisites for the formation of conditions for broad intraregional and international integration in Central Asia.
Dear Heads of State!
The key to the harmonious development of the region and its further prosperity is effective cooperation in cultural and humanitarian issues.
Today we can talk with satisfaction about the significant progress and positive experience of successfully holding joint meetings of representatives of the creative intelligentsia, scientific conferences, exhibitions and other events.
We need to move further in this direction, look for new forms and formats of communication.
It is for these purposes that women’s, youth, cultural, scientific and educational forums are held on the sidelines of the Fifth Summit.
I am sure that their results will become a solid basis for building the potential of cooperation between our states in the cultural and humanitarian sphere.
Dear Heads of State! Dear participants!
Today, an interested, constructive and thorough exchange of views is taking place, useful and meaningful proposals and initiatives are being put forward, which convincingly demonstrates the political will, desire and determination of our States to jointly achieve visible results.
This fully meets the genuine interests of our peoples.
I once again want to confirm Turkmenistan’s readiness to expand and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the Central Asian States.
I express my gratitude to the heads of State and members of the delegations for their fruitful work. ///nCa, 15 September 2023
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