OREANDA-NEWS. September 20, 2010. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is leaving for New York (United States) where he will take part in the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

As is known, the past years were marked by considerable intensification of the constructive dialogue between Turkmenistan and the United Nations, which is now brought to a new level and filled with a concrete content. Standing steadfast to the policy of peace and wide international cooperation, the Turkmen state attributes paramount importance to developing relations with the United Nations having earned the reputation of its dependable and responsible partner.

It should be noted that recently independent neutral Turkmenistan has been elected twice, in 2009 and 2007, as the Vice Chair of the sessions of the UN General Assembly – the global forum, the agenda of which focuses on issues of vital importance for the whole mankind.

The actual outcomes of bilateral cooperation built on a long-term basis involve the opening of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia – the UN entity, which has no analogues and stands as its strong bulwark in the region, in Ashgabat three years ago on the initiative of the Turkmen state. All this undeniably evidence Turkmenistan’s high international prestige, the worldwide recognition of the progressive foreign policy initiated and consistently pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to achieve peace, security and sustainable development on the planet.

The participation of the Turkmen delegation led by the President in the regular session of the annual global forum is another vivid evidence of the readiness of the Turkmen state to strengthen in every possible way and intensify multidimensional cooperation based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, confidence and positive partnership. Having acceded to a number of major UN conventions, Turkmenistan consistently demonstrates its adherence to the commitments undertaken. Recognizing unconditionally the authority and leading role of the United Nations as the principal guarantor of global peace, security and progress, Turkmenistan actively contributing to global efforts puts forward new approaches to finding optimal solutions to key problems of the modern world.

A number of new foreign-policy initiatives, which, as noted by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, “are, in fact, peacemaking projects for building new architecture of global security aimed at ensuring stability and sustainable progress in the modern world” will be presented on the 65th session of the UN General Assembly. It can be said without exaggeration that today these initiatives evoke keen interest of the international community for they are aimed at addressing urgent problems that affect the present and future of humanity.

One of them is aimed at creating the comprehensive guarantees of reliable and stable transit of energy to world markets. As is known, the UN General Assembly adopted the Resolution on the Reliable and Stable Transit of Energy and Its Role in Ensuring Sustainable Development and International Cooperation in December 2008 on the initiative of the Turkmen state. Since then, our country, which has the huge reserves of hydrocarbon resources and endeavours to place its energy potential at the service of mankind, has been taking consistent steps to promote this initiative in the framework of the United Nations. This is that Turkmenistan’s new constructive are aimed at.

In the new historical epoch Turkmenistan’s foreign-policy strategy based on the status of permanently neutrality increasingly reveals its potential to promote peace and security, sustainable economic and social progress, contributes to intensifying the productive international dialogue in order to concert global efforts to develop a new optimal format of cooperation in tackling urgent problems facing mankind today. In this regard, Turkmenistan’s initiatives are aimed at building the effective system of security and stability in the Central Asia and the Caspian Sea Basin as a strategic region of the planet.

In this regard an essential factor is development of extensive transport and communication infrastructure that is conditioned by the favourable geographical location of the region which lies on transnational transport routes connecting national railway and highway networks and able to effectively ensure transit flows in the directions north-south and east-west.

The pressing regional and global issues today involve achievement of a peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan, the country that Turkmenistan invariably committed to the traditions of friendship and good neighbourliness actively assists to in social and economic revival by providing support to the Afghan people. Supporting fully global efforts in this field, Turkmenistan is convinced that it was the United Nations with the profound peacekeeping experience and the solid legal framework of international cooperation should act as a generator of the constructive dialogue on the Afghanistan related issues. Here, our country demonstrates the readiness for further partnership as well as the consistency in its steps and initiatives aimed at strengthening peace and cohesion in Afghanistan, providing the conditions conducive to steady socio-economic advancement of the neighbouring state.

In this regard paramount importance is given to the implementation of the project of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline initiated by the Turkmen state. As is known, addressing the press conference of the Summit of Turkic states in Istanbul a few days ago, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized on the invaluable role that the future gas pipeline could play in strengthening peace and stability in the region, and especially in Afghanistan. It can be stated with confidence that the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline and relevant facilities will give a powerful incentive to develop the economy and social infrastructure in Afghanistan through creating thousands of new jobs and drawing substantial profit from transit of Turkmen natural gas. Thus, the implementation of the TAPI gas pipeline project will contribute directly to building the firm foundation for peace and political stability in the country.

An essential factor for sustainable regional and global development and achievement of the millennium development goals is addressing urgent environmental problems. In this regard, Turkmenistan intends to put forward new initiatives on environmental security at the UN forum. Our country sees the solutions to these vitally important issues based on the universally recognized norms of international law and the interests of all parties concerned, through the active involvement of the international community, first of all, the United Nations. Turkmenistan, where the protection of the environment and efficient management of natural resources are the key priorities of the national policy, actively contributes to tackling urgent environmental problems and supports further expansion of international cooperation in this field.

Thus, the visit of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to New York where he will participate in the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly and have the meetings with heads of foreign states, UN high-ranking officials, prominent political figures, top managers of the world's leading companies will promote further positive partnership for the common benefit, prosperity and progress.