Turkmenistan's neutrality status discussed in Turkey

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - Turkmenistan's Embassy to Turkey on Friday hosted a virtual meeting stressing the significance of the country's neutrality status on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its permanent neutrality.

Ishankuli Amanlyev, Turkmenistan's ambassador to Ankara, said the country's permanent neutrality has gone through several stages, starting on Dec.12, 1995, when Turkmenistan was recognized as a permanently neutral state by a UN resolution with the unanimous support of 185 member states.

On June 3, 2015, a second resolution on permanent neutrality has been adopted by the UN General Assembly on the 20th anniversary of the country's neutrality, he said.

Amanlyev highlighted that on Feb. 2, 2017, through President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's initiative, the UN General Assembly decided to declare Dec. 12 the International Day of Neutrality, and called for marking the day by holding events aimed at enhancing public awareness about the value of neutrality in international relations.

The UN defines neutrality as "the legal status arising from the abstention of a state from all participation in a war between other states, the maintenance of an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents, and the recognition by the belligerents of this abstention and impartiality".

"Turkmenistan turned into a peace and security center in the Central Asia," Amanlyev said, adding that peace, security, stability, sustainable development, and cultural cooperation are among the main concepts that his country follows in its policies.

Muratgeldi Seyitmammedov, Turkmenistan's Consul General in Istanbul, in his speech noted that his country has established diplomatic relations with 149 countries.

The Central Asian country's neutral status has played an important role in establishing cooperation with many states in the political, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and other spheres, and in implementing a multilateral foreign policy strategy, he added.

The model of Turkmen neutrality has been an important factor in ensuring regional stability, Seyitmammedov said.

He also said Dec.12 is one of the most important dates in the life of Turkmen people, adding that this year was declared as the year of "Turkmenistan - Home of Neutrality".

Several renowned academics and experts in Turkey also spoke at the meeting, pointing out the historical roots of Turkmenistan, significance and advantages of the neutrality status. They also shared the current perspectives on the issue and ongoing projects in the country.

Adem Kula, the secretary-general of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Organization for Economic Cooperation, also addressing the meeting, said many Turkish companies are involved in different businesses, particularly in the construction field, in Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan is open for the cooperation with its "open doors" policy, he said, noting that Turkish companies have undertaken over 2,000 projects in the Central Asian country.

The term neutrality is evaluated mostly in the form of a legal status and a concept of international law, to designate those states that are ally-free, that is, of equal distance to all countries.

Having gained the status of a neutral state, a country is assumed to have a number of obligations, in particular, non-accession to military alliances and blocs, renunciation of weapons of mass destruction, adherence to universal values, ensuring stability inside the country, having equal relations with all states of the world and developing close cooperation with humanitarian international organizations.