Turkmenistan Participated in the 31st Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council

On December 5-6, 2024, a delegation from Turkmenistan, led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Myahri Bashimova, participated in the 31st Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), held in Valletta, Republic of Malta.

This key annual event brought together representatives from the 57 OSCE member states, with foreign ministers from over 30 countries in attendance this year. The two-day meeting featured plenary sessions and several parallel events.

One of the main topics discussed was the current security challenges in Europe and Eurasia, as well as issues related to the functioning of the organization itself.

During the meeting, decisions were made on appointing key OSCE officials, approving the organization's budget for the coming year, and addressing other operational matters.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Myahri Bashimova delivered a speech at the plenary session, emphasizing the importance of Turkmenistan's partnership with the OSCE in promoting regional stability, dialogue, and sustainable development. Special attention was given to Turkmenistan's initiatives in the political, economic, environmental, and humanitarian dimensions.

The head of the Turkmen delegation highlighted that Turkmenistan has strengthened its cooperation with the OSCE across all three dimensions in recent years. In the context of developing international transport infrastructure, Turkmenistan advocates for closer cooperation and partnership with all OSCE countries.

Additionally, environmental cooperation was identified as a priority. In this context, the need for global, regional, and national-level efforts, including coordinated actions by individual states, was emphasized.

The Turkmen side expressed its readiness to continue collaborating with the OSCE, reaffirming its commitment to the principles of peace, trust, and neutrality.

Bilateral Meetings on the Sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council

On the sidelines of the 31st OSCE Ministerial Council, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Myahri Bashimova held a meeting with the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Andreas Kakouris.

The parties discussed bilateral relations in the political and diplomatic spheres, including enhancing dialogue between their foreign ministries. The fruitful cooperation between the two countries within the United Nations framework was noted.

During the meeting, both sides expressed readiness to strengthen the legal framework for partnership in political, diplomatic, and trade-economic fields. They agreed to work on drafting relevant Memorandums of Understanding between their foreign ministries to conduct political consultations in the future.

Furthermore, both sides expressed their willingness to facilitate dialogue between the relevant agencies of the two countries for developing trade and industrial cooperation.

Additionally, Deputy Minister Bashimova met with Michael Siebert, Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and the OSCE.

The parties discussed a wide range of issues concerning bilateral and multilateral cooperation, highlighting the importance of existing mechanisms of interaction, including the Turkmenistan–EU Joint Committee, the Human Rights Dialogue, and inter-parliamentary dialogue.

Special attention was given to strengthening ties between the EU and Central Asia. In this context, the parties discussed the possibility of organizing the next meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU-Central Asia format in Turkmenistan next year.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan