Chairman of the Executive Committee - Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth of Independent States
Today, the Commonwealth of Independent States is a universally recognized regional international association with a well-developed system of statutory and sectoral bodies acting on the basis of a solid regulatory framework. The CIS is also a unique platform for regular meetings of heads of state and government, allowing in a frank, friendly atmosphere to conduct a constructive dialogue, resolve issues of interaction and cooperation in the economic, humanitarian and political spheres.
However, back in December 1991, when the world community learned about the Bialowieza Accords and first heard the abbreviation "CIS", events could develop in a completely different scenario. And here it should be clearly noted the important role that Turkmenistan played in shaping the current image of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Indeed, it was in Ashgabat on December 13, 1991, that the historic meeting of the leaders of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan took place, which prepared the conditions for signing the Alma-Ata Declaration, which became the basis for the formation of the CIS in its current form.
Turkmenistan, along with other states, on December 21, 1991 signed the Protocol to the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Almaty Declaration, which reaffirmed the CIS members' commitment to equal cooperation in various fields of foreign and domestic policy. At the same time, initially choosing a policy of neutrality as a foreign policy model, the leadership of Turkmenistan aimed not only to find its own development path, but also to create favorable external conditions for internal stability in the state.
As is known, the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan is recognized and supported by the resolution of the UN General Assembly adopted on December 12, 1995. Given the neutral status of Turkmenistan on August 26, 2005, at a summit in Kazan, the CIS heads of state took note of the statement that Turkmenistan will continue to participate in the Commonwealth as an associate member in the spirit of sincere friendship and cooperation.
Since then, Turkmenistan has shown continued commitment to its international legal status, in fact reaffirming that neutrality, peacefulness and good neighborliness constitute the basic foundation of its foreign policy, aimed, inter alia, at facilitating the successful implementation of tasks within the CIS. This is confirmed both in the Concept of the foreign policy of Turkmenistan for 2017�2023, and in the speeches of the country's leadership. So, at the summit in Sochi in October 2017, the distinguished President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov emphasized: Although Turkmenistan is an associate member of the CIS, in its international policy it gives priority to the Commonwealth of Independent States as the main authoritative international structure. And further we will continue this foreign policy line,
Today there is every reason to note the increased interest in Turkmenistan in recent years in cooperation with partners in the CIS. This applies primarily to the economic, cultural and humanitarian sphere, initiatives to hold a number of events of general significance for the CIS countries. A kind of culmination of the level of interaction between Turkmenistan and the countries of the Commonwealth is the decision of the country's leadership, events and events related to the chairmanship of the Turkmen side in the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2019. This chairmanship is carried out by Turkmenistan in the person of its representatives at the same time in the Council of Heads of State, the Council of Heads of Government, the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Economic Council, the Council of Permanent Plenipotentiaries of States under the statutory and other bodies of the Commonwealth,
The main, most important goals of this responsible mission are defined in the Concept of the Chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the Commonwealth of Independent States, which was developed and adopted in 2018. They include:
building trust and mutual understanding between the CIS member states, promoting initiatives aimed at supporting stability and security in the CIS space, strengthening political and diplomatic interaction through enhanced partnership between the foreign affairs agencies of the Commonwealth;
increasing the level of CIS cooperation with reputable international organizations, including with the UN and the OSCE, as well as helping to consolidate the efforts of the Commonwealth states and international organizations in resolving pressing issues of multilateral cooperation;
creating favorable conditions for enhancing and expanding mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, integrating into world economic relations as a space on which transport and energy projects are carried out, creating a modern infrastructure, communications of logistics centers of interregional significance;
strengthening partnerships between the CIS countries in the field of energy, transport, communications and communications;
support and encouragement of wide cultural, humanitarian, scientific, educational, sports ties between the states of the Commonwealth.
Within the framework of the chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the CIS at a high substantive and organizational level, many events have been carried out and are planned to be carried out aimed at further development, strengthening of cooperation and partnership between our countries.
In particular, on May 31 of this year A meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS took place in Ashgabat, during which a number of important documents aimed at deepening economic cooperation were considered and adopted. Thus, the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS adopted a Decision on the preparation of a draft Interstate Program of Innovative Cooperation of the CIS States for the period up to 2030, approved the Agreement on the interaction of customs authorities of the CIS countries in the field of protection of intellectual property rights, signed documents regulating the expansion of cooperation of the CIS countries in trade, customs clearance and control of goods, their transit through the territory of the countries of the Commonwealth, as well as in the field of fundamental research th and museum business.
During the Turkmen chairmanship, the implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the third stage (2016�2020) of the CIS Economic Development Strategy for the period until 2020 continues, and work is underway to prepare a draft CIS Economic Development Strategy for the period until 2030. Other economic priorities include measures to implement the Plan of Priority Actions for the Implementation of the Concept of Cooperation of the CIS Countries in the Energy Sector.
As the distinguished President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov rightly noted at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Government in Ashgabat May 31 this year, today the Commonwealth needs broad and strong integration ties of an international scale, implying the participation of our countries in major infrastructure projects not only in the CIS, but also beyond its borders ... Therefore, Turkmenistan advocates expanding the horizons of cooperation, aggressively promoting the idea of CIS participation in major projects s south, east and west of the Commonwealth space, for which there are labor, resource, industrial and technological capabilities. "
This message of the presiding party is aimed at developing an effective multifaceted partnership and the consistent integration of the Commonwealth states into modern world economic relations. The concrete practical content of this statement was the holding of the 1st Caspian Economic Forum in the city of Turkmenbashi, initiated by the esteemed President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov. This event, which has become a landmark for the countries of the Caspian Five and for the CIS member states, opens up new opportunities for interested parties to regional integration and cooperation in the field of transport, trade, energy, ecology, tourism, and improving the investment climate.
Given the importance of humanitarian cooperation for the CIS countries, it should be noted the great work of the Turkmen side in preparing and holding the XIV Forum of creative and scientific intelligentsia of the CIS member states, which was held with the active participation of the Commonwealth countries, who sent more than 200 delegates to this representative meeting.
The forum in Ashgabat facilitated professional communication among specialists in the cultural and humanitarian sphere and made an invaluable contribution to the dialogue between the original cultures of sovereign states. The participants of the XIV Forum of creative and scientific intelligentsia made recommendations on the further development of humanitarian interaction in the Commonwealth space, reflected in the adopted Resolution. The document, in particular, notes the importance of preserving the cultural and natural heritage, expanding cooperation between science, education and culture organizations, public associations for the comprehensive study and popularization of languages, history and national traditions of the CIS countries. Undoubtedly, this key event in the humanitarian life of our countries will serve as additional motivation for creating new mutually beneficial projects.
With the active participation of the Turkmen side, systematic work continues on the implementation of the Plan of priority measures in the field of humanitarian cooperation for 2019�2020, the Program for the support and development of national sports in the CIS, strategies in the field of youth cooperation, tourism for the period until 2020, etc. By the way, , it was in Ashgabat that the meetings of the Council for Humanitarian Cooperation and the Board of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation, the Council for Cooperation in the Field of Health, and the Inter -governmental coordination council on seed and other important meetings and events.
This year, on September 13, the next meeting of the CIS Economic Council was successfully held in Ashgabat. The agenda of this event included a discussion of promising areas of cooperation, including the draft Declaration on Strategic Economic Cooperation, the Concept of Cooperation in the Field of Digital Development of the Society and the Plan of Priority Actions for its Implementation, the Guidelines for the Development of Radio Navigation of the CIS States for 2019�2024, etc. .
On October 10-11, the Turkmen side, together with the CIS Executive Committee, held high-level regular meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Council of Heads of CIS States. It is also planned to hold a Council of CIS Heads of Government on October 25 in Moscow.
It should be noted that under the chairmanship of Turkmenistan, all of the above activities were carried out at a high substantive and organizational level. During the expanded negotiations, the participants in the next meeting of the CIS Ministerial Council discussed issues of cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian fields. During the meeting, interaction between the foreign affairs agencies of the CIS member states and ensuring security and stability were examined. The parties agreed that only through coordinated actions is it possible to achieve political and economic integration, to respond in a timely manner to the challenges of our time.
It should also be noted that following the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CIS countries, decisions were signed On the Program of Actions for Enhancing Partnership between the Foreign Ministries of the Member States of the Commonwealth, On the draft Address of the Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Independent States to the peoples of the Commonwealth and the world community in connection with the 75th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 "," On holding the next meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers Commonwealth of Independent States and On the Games of the CIS countries .
As a result of the meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the CIS, mutually acceptable agreements were reached in all areas of cooperation among the countries participating in the Commonwealth.
Undoubtedly, the upcoming meeting of the Council of Heads of State will become the main political event within the framework of the Turkmen Chairmanship, where it is planned to consider a wide range of issues related to maintaining stability and security in the CIS, partnership in trade, economic and humanitarian spheres, and to substantively discuss joint steps in these areas. It seems that in this case special attention will be paid to draft documents developed on the initiative of the deeply respected President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov in pursuit of the goals of his chairmanship declared by Turkmenistan. We are talking about the draft Program of Action to enhance partnership between the foreign affairs agencies of the Commonwealth and the draft Declaration on Strategic Economic Cooperation of the CIS. These documents found a positive response and support in the Commonwealth countries and are included in the agendas of the regular meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers and the Council of Heads of CIS States. The adoption of these documents will be a powerful incentive to strengthen the joint positions of the Commonwealth countries on key regional and global problems, and to strengthen the entire architecture of the economic interaction of the CIS countries.
Thus, the proactive and interested approach of the Turkmen side, personally dear Gurbanguly Myalikgulyevich Berdimuhamedov to fulfill the mission of the chairmanship, has had and continues to have a tangible positive impact on joint efforts to achieve both the short-term and long-term goals of the Commonwealth of Independent States.