On 11 December 2023, a meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development was held in hybrid format at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, according to the ministry’s press service.
Turkmenistan initiated the creation of this Group to promote regular dialogue at the international level, particularly within the framework of the United Nations, on the practical use of the peacekeeping potential of countries that pursue their policies on the principles of neutrality.
Today, this Group has already been joined by 25 countries, including the co-authors of the resolutions of the UN General Assembly “International Day of Neutrality” of 2 February 2017 and “The Role and Significance of the Policy of Neutrality in Maintaining and Strengthening International Peace, Security and Sustainable Development” of 7 December 2020.
At the first ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development, held in December last year in Ashgabat, institutional steps were considered to define the format and methods of work of this multilateral dialogue as a tool for promoting global peace and security.
The final declaration adopted at last year’s meeting of the Group was published in six official languages of the United Nations as an official document of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly under item 58 of the agenda “Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping”.
The following issues were included on the agenda of the meeting:
- Expansion of membership of the Group of Friends of Neutrality;
- Discussion of the Turkmenistan initiative on a Global Security Strategy based on the principles of the UN Charter and universally recognized norms of international law, taking into account current realities and trends in global development;
- Exchange of views on the possibility of creating the Institute of Neutrality and Security in Ashgabat.
In her speech, Ambassador Aksoltan Ataeva, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations, stressed that the traditional meetings of the Group of Friends are a vivid demonstration of the demand for this format, its practical significance at the current, largely turning point, stage of development of international relations.
At the same time, the Turkmen side believes that the Group of Friends is a goal-oriented, active and dynamic association.
It was also noted that the current year, declared by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, has clearly shown the kinetic energy of the multilateral Group of Neutrality, which is closely involved in the implementation of the international campaign to strengthen peace and trust within the framework of this year’s “Roadmap”.
In this context, attention was drawn to joint achievements and international events held in this direction.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Myahri Biyashimova remarked that, being committed to the policy of neutrality and the values on which it is based, Turkmenistan pursues a friendly policy of cooperation with all states. Today, the country has established itself as a reliable partner, including the United Nations, especially in the field of maintaining peace and stability in the region and on a global scale. Evidence of the recognition of this policy is the numerous decisions taken within the framework of the United Nations.
In the course of discussions, the participants of the meeting noted the importance and relevance of this format of interaction in addressing issues of peace and stability. ///nCa, 12 December 2023