On November 3, 2026, the IV Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security opened in the Belarusian capital. Organised at the initiative of Belarus, the conference brought together high-ranking diplomats, international organisations, and regional experts to draft new mechanisms for security cooperation across Eurasia.
Addressing a high-level audience, Ahmet Gurbanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, presented Ashgabat’s strategic vision for continental security. He emphasized that an indivisible security architecture must rest on equal dialogue, mutual respect, and compliance with international law.
Turkmenistan’s Four Core Security Priorities
According to official Belarusian state media reporting from the conference floor, Turkmenistan outlined four main priorities to establish a reliable security system across the continent:
- UN Cooperation and Legal Foundations: Turkmen diplomacy supports constructive efforts by the United Nations and other international bodies to establish a long-term legal foundation for peaceful coexistence in Eurasia.
- Preventive Diplomacy: Unlocking the potential of regional preventive diplomacy serves as the primary tool for conflict prevention.
- Economic, Energy, and Transport Connectivity: Highlighting that stability is inseparable from sustainable development, Turkmenistan advocated for the diversification of key transport and energy routes. Gurbanov highlighted the integration of major East–West and North–South international corridors to strengthen economic ties across Eurasia.
- Spiritual and Cultural Rapprochement: Turkmenistan stressed that security cannot rely solely on political or economic formulas. Its permanent foundation lies in cultural rapprochement, broad humanitarian contacts, and preserving common historical heritage.
Permanent Neutrality & The “Year of International Law”
Throughout his address, Gurbanov reiterated Turkmenistan’s commitment to its status of permanent neutrality as the bedrock of its peaceful foreign policy. Grounded in the national philosophy of “Dialogue is a guarantee of peace,” Turkmenistan continues to champion diplomatic and political solutions over confrontation.
As part of this foreign policy track, Turkmenistan presented its initiative to declare 2028 as the Year of International Law. Ashgabat announced that it is finalizing a National Action Plan for 2026–2028 to guide preparations and implementation of key events surrounding the initiative.
In closing, Deputy Minister Gurbanov reaffirmed Turkmenistan’s readiness to offer its neutral diplomatic space for multilateral negotiations, trust-building, and consensus-based solutions to press security concerns in Eurasia. /// nCa, 4 November 2026