OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2010. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Sergio de Queiroz Duarte, who had arrived in the Turkmenistan capital to participate in the international conference on disarmament in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea Basin.

Thanking for the heartfelt welcome and hospitality extended in the Turkmen land, the UN high-ranking official congratulated the Turkmen leader on opening the large forum in Ashgabat on the initiative put forward by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the 64th UN General Assembly. Underscoring the significance and timeliness of this initiative, the guest highly evaluated the active stand of Turkmenistan that profoundly contributed to global efforts to maintain peace and security across the world.

Greeting the high-ranking official of the largest international organisation, the Turkmen leader expressed sincere gratitude to the United Nations for supporting Turkmenistan’s initiatives including ones to reduce arsenal of weapon of mass destruction in the region.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that Turkmenistan committed to the peace-loving foreign policy was able to use the status of permanent positive neutrality delegated by the UN member states to implement social and economic reforms aimed at improving the wellbeing of citizens of Turkmenistan, contribute to strengthening peace, stability and security at a global level and establish mutually advantageous cooperation with different countries and international organisations. This could be illustrated by the opening of the new in principle agency of the United Nations – the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia as well as the rich experience of fruitful cooperation with the UN agencies accumulated in the past years through implementing a number of important projects in various fields.

In a businesslike, constructive atmosphere the sides exchanged views on the prospects for widening fruitful, time-tested Turkmenistan-UN cooperation under modern conditions in such critical fields as disarmament cooperation.

Welcoming Turkmenistan’s efforts to uphold the interests of the Central Asian states, Mr. Sergio de Queiroz Duarte expressed belief that the resolute steps taken by the Turkmen leader in this direction as well as social and economic reforms he had initiated throughout the country would open up wider opportunities for implementing Turkmenistan’s peacemaking potential in full that directly met the interests of progressive humanity.

In conclusion Mr. Sergio de Queiroz Duarte said that he was very glad to participate in the conference on disarmament in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea Basin noting that this timely and important initiative of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was correspond to the steps taken by Turkmenistan in recent years to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Special representative of the UN Secretary-General, Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Miroslav Jenca attended the meeting.