OREANDA-NEWS. October 17, 2011. Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Afghanistan Staffan de Mistura paid a working visit to Turkmenistan.

During the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Special Representative conveyed the words of gratitude of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for Turkmenistan’s efforts to revival a peaceful life in Afghanistan. The meeting agenda focused on a wide range of aspects of Turkmenistan-United Nations cooperation and critical issues of world and regional politics and security.

Underlining constructive and close cooperation between Turkmenistan and the United Nations, the meting participants called for promotion of cooperation in elaborating the unified conception of strengthening peace and settling the situation in Afghanistan, combating international terrorism, transboundary organized crime and illicit drug trafficking , tackling threats and challenges of modern times and mitigating potential threats and tension in the region.

It was noted that attaching priority to cooperation with the United Nations, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov assigned a special role in the foreign policy strategy to the establishment of good neighbourly relations with neighbouring countries by creating an atmosphere of confidence and understanding in the region and in the world.

Particular attention was paid to Turkmenistan’s initiatives to elaborate the long-term programme for revival of Afghanistan and social and economic development of the Afghan people under the aegis of the UN and the readiness of Turkmenistan as the universally recognized neutral state-peacemaker to provide its political space for the global efforts to settle the situation in Afghanistan.

In this context emphasis was put on the positive long-term experience of cooperation, including at the regional level where Turkmenistan’s profound and positive experience in establishing and promoting relations with all neighbouring countries, including Afghanistan that Turkmenistan had close trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian contacts with, was called for.

Noting that Turkmenistan-United Nations collaboration was consistently developed, the meeting participants underlined the mutual willingness to promote cooperation in order to ensure a peaceful life and socioeconomic development of Afghanistan.