Dear Madam Prime Minister of the Italian Republic Giorgia Meloni, Dear Heads of State of Central Asia, members of the delegations!
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, dear Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, for the invitation to this Forum, the hospitality provided and the working conditions created.
I would also like to express my gratitude to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, dear Mrs. Giorgia Meloni, for the initiative to hold the First Summit in the Central Asia–Italy format.
I am convinced that our meeting will make a significant contribution to the intensification of mutually beneficial partnership between the Central Asian States and Italy.
Turkmenistan is interested in expanding multifaceted cooperation within this promising format and is ready to contribute to its development.
Today, the Central Asian States are actively cooperating with each other in order to create conditions for ensuring sustainable and progressive development of the region. This is evidenced by the Joint Statement and the Concept of Regional Cooperation “Central Asia–2040” signed following the Sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in September 2024 in Astana, which define the main contours of the Central Asian partnership for the long term.
Among the most relevant vectors of intraregional cooperation today, cooperation in the fields of politics and security, economics, transport, climate, and water resources can be highlighted.
Speaking about security, I would like to note that Turkmenistan views this important category through the prism of its integrity and indivisible character. This is especially true today, when we are witnessing major shifts in the global architecture of international relations. In this context, we are convinced that the United Nations system remains the only universal mechanism for ensuring sustainable security.
Based on this understanding, Turkmenistan has proposed declaring 2025 the “International Year of Peace and Trust.”
I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to everyone for supporting this initiative, which was approved by the UN General Assembly Resolution in March 2024.
At the same time, Turkmenistan considers it important to pay special attention to using the potential of neutrality, which includes elements of preventive diplomacy and active peacekeeping.
Key topics in the field of peace-building, developing a culture of political dialogue, and strengthening trusting relations between the world’s states will be discussed at the International Forum of Peace and Trust, which will be held on December 12 this year in Ashgabat and will be dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s neutrality.
I take this opportunity to invite all the heads of State and Government present to participate in this Forum.
Speaking of regional security, the situation in Afghanistan cannot be ignored. Turkmenistan considers it important to continue practical work on establishing an international dialogue with the new de facto authorities of Afghanistan.
We are convinced that a stable and economically developing Afghanistan meets the interests of the entire international community. In this regard, Turkmenistan will continue to make the necessary efforts to implement major regional projects, such as the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan gas pipeline, a high-voltage power transmission line along the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan-India route, and the construction of railways in the Afghan direction. We also consider it necessary to step up efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
Speaking about economic cooperation within the framework of our format, I would like to note that among the important areas of cooperation in this area, traditional areas should be highlighted – energy, transport, industry, financial and private sectors, as well as new areas such as digitalization, green technologies and artificial intelligence.
Here I would like to highlight the theme of energy. Turkmenistan, having huge reserves of natural gas, is pursuing a policy of diversifying its supply routes to international markets. In this regard, we attach great importance to projects aimed at bringing Turkmen gas to the European direction.
Another promising area of joint work is hydrogen energy. As you know, natural gas will remain the dominant source of hydrogen production in the coming decades. And here we are ready for mutually beneficial cooperation with our Italian partners.
Speaking about transport connectivity, I would like to note that at the current stage of the transformation of global transport routes, we are interested in participating in new partnership configurations along the Asia–Europe trajectory. In this context, one of the promising European projects is the “Middle Corridor”, passing through the countries of Central Asia and the Caspian region.
Ecology and climate are equally relevant areas of cooperation. Improving the energy efficiency of existing industrial facilities, rational water use in the region, and the introduction of green and resource–saving technologies can become priority areas of cooperation within the framework of the Central Asia-Italy format.
In this context, I would like to outline our initiative to establish a United Nations Regional Center for Technologies Related to Climate Change in Central Asia in Ashgabat.
The cultural and historical dimension of our cooperation should be emphasized. Italy’s multifaceted partnership with Central Asia spans more than two thousand years. The interactions between ancient Rome and the Parthian Kingdom—one of whose capitals was the city of Nisa, located near the capital of modern Turkmenistan—left a significant mark on history.
Equally valuable are the works of Venetian traveler Marco Polo, who visited Central Asia in the 13th century and, in fact, introduced our region to other European nations. Particularly noteworthy is the flourishing era of the Great Silk Road, which stretched from Xi’an, China, to Rome and Venice through the territories of Central Asia, fostering trade, cultural exchange, and mutual enrichment.
Such a unique historical heritage of our peoples is the subject of careful preservation and detailed research.
We are pleased to acknowledge that for more than 30 years, Italian archaeologists have been working productively in Turkmenistan, making a significant contribution to bilateral scientific cooperation. In this context, we are confident that the archaeological exhibition “The Flourishing of Cultures: Bronze Age Margiana and the Parthian Kingdom. Archaeological Discoveries in Turkmenistan,” which we plan to organize in Rome, will provide an invaluable opportunity to further strengthen the bonds between our peoples.
The education is another promising area of cooperation. In this context, we welcome interuniversity and academic partnership. We also note the great interest in learning the Italian language, Italian culture and art in Turkmenistan. We will continue to facilitate this process.
In conclusion, I would like to once again confirm Turkmenistan’s commitment to further strengthen and expand comprehensive cooperation with the Italian Republic both at the bilateral level and within the framework of the Central Asia–Italy dialogue format.
(Astana, 30 May 2025)