Priority positions of Turkmenistan at the 72nd session of the UN general Assembly

Regular 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly is to start work in a few weeks. According to the tradition on occasion of this important event of international life, Turkmenistan will promulgate Priority Positions, which our country will carry out and uphold during coming political season.

Such openness and willingness to joint solution of urgent problems of modern world’s development, which became distinguishing feature of Turkmen diplomacy, are highly appreciated in international communities and indicate growing authority of our neutral state as a reliable member of the United Nations.

Unwearing and steadfast uphold of common peace, security and stability are the key area of Turkmenistan’s activity during the 72nd session of the General Assembly. In this work, our country will rest on broad and multi-format partnership with the United Nations Organizations, which has always been and remains a strategic vector of foreign policy of Turkmenistan.

Active cooperation with partners in counteracting the terrorism will be continued. Particularly, Turkmenistan is willing to cooperate actively with this structure for further implementation of Ashgabat Declaration adopted by the outcomes of the High Level Central Asia – the UN Dialog for implementation of the UN Global Counterterrorist Strategy in central Asia on June 13, 2017 in Ashgabat under UN General Secretary presidency.

Turkmenistan assigns an important role to preventative diplomacy in prevention of conflict situations, elimination of the root causes, creation of the atmosphere of trust between the countries, formation of favourable conditions for efficient cooperation of the state in political, diplomatic, economic, social, ecological and other spheres. In this context, the significance of the work of the UN Regional Centre for Preventative Diplomacy in the Central Asia for fulfilment of the above-mentioned objectives in the Central Asian region is growing objectively and our country proposes to review the opportunity of the development and adoption of the Resolution to support the mechanisms of preventative diplomacy in solution of topical problems in provision of peace and security during the 72nd session of the General Assembly.

Taking into account the realities of the modern world, which development is accompanied by advanced achievements in informative and technological spheres, Turkmenistan considers it reasonable to approach the subject of provision of global cyber security and to propose the world community to activate the work on this matter during the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.

Further consolidation of the partnership for achievement of the Goals of sustainable development (the GSD) will be priority vector of the activity of our state in international arena. Carrying out integrated and efficient work together with the UN in this direction from October 2015 and having made National mechanism for implementation of the GSD, Turkmenistan considers it reasonable to use an opportunities of the high-level political forum “Transformation on the Way to Sustainable and Vigorous Society” coming in 2018 during the 72nd session.

Highlighting the significance of the sports as an important factor of provision of sustainable development, our country again confirms its adherence to consolidation of international sport cooperation aimed at realization of the principles of development and peace, expansion of the right and opportunities of people, solution of the objectives in health care, education, social integration and other spheres.

Following these purposes and relying on the Final Declaration of International Sports Congress “Asian Games 2017: International Sports Cooperation for Peace and Development” published as official document of the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, Turkmenistan confirms its proposal on organization of the 7th International Conference of the minsters and leading personnel responsible for physical training and sports in the country under the UNESCO aegis.

As is known, Turkmenistan, invariably following the provisions of the UN General Assembly Resolution of September 25, 2015 “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” and recognizing growing input of the sport in expansion of the rights and opportunities of certain people and communities, initiated the participation of the Olympic team of refugees during V Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games on September 17 – 27, 2017 in Ashgabat.

In this context, our country suggests to adopt the document on encouragement of priceless contribution of the Olympic refugee team in consolidation of peace and security under the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council in September 2017 in Geneva.

Special place in activity of Turkmen diplomacy during the 72nd session of the UN general Assembly will be given to the development of cooperation in transport sphere. Our country will continue active support to implementation of the decisions taken by the world community aimed at formation of new and intensification of existing international transport and transit corridors.

As is known, the UN Global Sustainable Transport Conference was held in November 2016, which resulted in adoption of Ashgabat Declaration defining the main parameters of international cooperation in this sphere based on the principles of provision of sustainability and reliability of international transport and transit infrastructure. Referring to this document and for fulfilment of the objective of the 2030 Agenda, Turkmenistan proposes to review the development of the General Assembly Resolution “Development of Multimodal Transport for Achievement of the Goals of Sustainable Development” during the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly. In addition, our country suggests reviewing the opportunity of declaring of the Year of sustainable transport in near future on the UN level.

Same as previously, cooperation in energy sphere, provision of sustainable and fair access to energy resources are one of the main directions of foreign strategy of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan will fulfil clearly and steadily the provisions of relative UN General Assembly Resolutions aimed at provision of reliable and stable energy supply and in this regard, to reconfirm its willingness to the development of close cooperation with all interested states and international organizations.

In 2017, Turkmenistan is a chairing country of the Conference of International Energy Charter. According to the concept of its chair, our country performs the number of comprehensive measures within this year, which are to activate the process of the development of new international legal mechanism in sustainable energy. In this context, Turkmenistan confirms its commitment to the activity of international expert group for development of multilateral documents on energy security and formation of sustainable energy system.

At the same time, Turkmenistan will actively participate in making of organizational, legal, economic, technical and other conditions, which are necessary for diversification of energy sources and supply routes of energy carriers.

Intensification of cooperation between the states and international structures in provision of energy efficiency and saving is one of the priorities of the activity of the world community. In this regard, our country consider it to be reasonable to review the subject of the beginning of the process for summarizing of the outcomes and recommendations of international conferences and meetings on energy range of problems held under the UN aegis for future concentrated statement in relative multilateral document of the United Nations Organizations during the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.

Initiative support of international partnership in ecology field is traditionally recognized feature of foreign policy course of Turkmenistan. Our state will actively participate in international efforts for solution of important issues of environmental protection, management of water resources and mitigation of the consequences of natural and anthropogenic catastrophes during coming session of the General Assembly.

Taking into account the chairing of Turkmenistan in International Fund for Saving of the Aral Sea (IFAS), our country suggests to hold the Summit of the Heads of IFAS Founder States with participation of specialized international structures like the UNDP, UNEP, the UN Regional Centre of Preventive Diplomacy in the Central Asia in Turkmenistan in 2018. Turkmenistan also offers to review the subject on establishment of international expert group, which would start the development of special Aral Ecological Programme in cooperation with the UN.

Being firmly committed to intensification of international efforts in solution of pressing humanitarian problems, Turkmenistan confirms the willingness to active partnership with the UN and its specialized structures in implementation of practical measures for fulfilment of fundamental UN Conventions in human rights as well as compliance to its obligations followed from international humanitarian right.

Under the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, our country will concentrate the efforts at cooperation with the United Nations specialized structures for implementation of national and regional programmes and action plans on provision of human rights and freedoms adopted according to international legal documents of the UN.

Special part in this activity will be assigned to the partnership with the United Nations agencies for implementation of National Action Plan on human rights in Turkmenistan for 2016 – 2020.

Priority positions of Turkmenistan are another evidence of the responsibility, openness and resolution of our country to do all necessary together with the world community for consolidation of peace, stability and equal security on the planet, assertion of humane principles and ideals of the UN, achievement of the Goals of sustainable development.