A high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality was held

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development. The event was attended by representatives of member states of this Group, including heads of diplomatic missions accredited in our country, as well as leaders of Turkmenistan's diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad.

The Group of Friends of Neutrality, established on the initiative of our country within the framework of the United Nations, serves as an open platform for constructive exchanges on pressing issues of regional and global partnership.

Regular meetings within the framework of this multilateral dialogue aim to develop a sustainable political and diplomatic mechanism for promoting the principles of neutrality in international relations and strengthening fruitful cooperation in the interests of shared well-being.

In this regard, it is worth recalling that in August 2020, the first meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality at the ambassadorial level was held in New York, where commitment to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter was reaffirmed. In December 2022, the first Ministerial Meeting of the Group took place in Ashgabat. Its final Declaration was published in March of the previous year as an official document of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly under the agenda item "Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace."

During the high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of Neutrality held in December 2023 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan in a hybrid format, the focus on achieving practical results was emphasized. This reflects the demand for this structure and its significance in the current stage of international relations. The Group’s consistent expansion further confirms its effectiveness.

Notably, in February of this year, the Mejlis (Parliament) of Turkmenistan held the first meeting of heads of parliaments of member states of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, also organized in a hybrid format. The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Final Document.

The agenda of the recent meeting included discussions on the prospects of implementing the principles of positive neutrality to address modern challenges. In this context, possibilities for developing a Global Security Strategy, initiated by our country, were considered. This strategy is based on the principles of the UN Charter and universally recognized norms of international law, taking into account current global development trends. As emphasized during the meeting, Turkmenistan is increasingly advancing an agenda of peace, development, and cooperation at both global and regional levels, offering constructive solutions to a range of priority international issues.

The participants also expressed support for continuing collaboration in the context of implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by integrating neutrality principles into national and international strategies.

Source: State News Agency of Turkmenistan