A round table dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the country’s permanent neutrality was held еoday in the building of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The online event was attended by the ambassadors of Central Asian countries (Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) to Russia, faculty and representatives of the media.
The video meeting was moderated by Ivan Safranchuk, Leading Researcher at the Institute of International Studies, MGIMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
Opening the forum, MGIMO Rector Anatoly Torkunov expressed satisfaction with the fact that, despite the current situation with the pandemic, the previously conceived important, meaningful event is being held, which once again provides an opportunity to exchange views and experiences.
He also stressed that the round table is a good reason for the further development of cooperation with the countries of Central Asia and filling it with new content.
Addressing the welcoming speech to the audience, the rector of the IRI of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Jumamurat Gurbangeldyev, noted that the country’s successful foreign policy steps in the international arena once again confirm the correctness of the initial choice of a strategy of neutrality as an effective tool to support peace and security in the region.
He also stressed that the cooperation of the institutes is based on the regular exchange of experience and scientific opportunities.For example, methodological and other materials received in 2018 from MGIMO were useful for improving and revising their own curricula.
Speaking on the topic “The Institute of Neutrality in International Relations and the Experience of Turkmenistan” Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Russia Batyr Niyazliev and senior lecturer of the Department of International Relations and Diplomacy of the IRI of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Begench Karaev said that Turkmenistan, as a neutral state, initiated negotiations between the conflicting parties in several countries.
They also said that neutrality, as a fruitful instrument, created conditions for balance, became a kind of platform for negotiations of regional and global importance.
Speaking about the experience of the Central Asian countries in the field of security and sustainable development, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Russian Federation Botirjon Asadov said that this meeting provided a unique opportunity to openly and deeply discuss the entire range of pressing problems in Central Asia, and will certainly help the development of joint agreed solutions.
Gulyalek Chopanova, a lecturer at the Department of World Languages of the IRI MFA of Turkmenistan, spoke about the established bases of interstate cooperation.
Sustainable inter-parliamentary, interagency, inter-regional exchanges have been established. Trade and economic interaction is progressively developing, including in the field of energy, transport, construction, agriculture, she added..
The interlocutors, touching upon the topic of the Turkmen-Russian dialogue, noted the wide opportunities in the field of education, culture and science regularly held bridges of friendship, festivals, forums, etc., also considered the areas of education of Turkmen students in Russia.
“The days of the Russian language held in our country are a clear example of a dignified attitude in Turkmenistan to the language and culture of the fraternal Russian people,” Chopanova emphasized.
During the online meeting, participants expressed their readiness to further strengthen good-neighborly and friendly ties between peoples in all spheres, as well as to continue mutual assistance in necessary emergency situations.
Myahri YAGMUROVA, photos by Vyacheslav Sarkisyan