Turkmenistan, 1995

Please allow me to offer sincere

congratulations to Mr. Freitas do Amaral of Portugal on his

election to the presidency of the General Assembly.

I would like to emphasize that this session of the

General Assembly, in the year of the fiftieth anniversary of

the United Nations, will occupy a special place in the

history of the Organization. In that context, on behalf of

Turkmenistan and President Niyazov, I wish to express our

sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros

Boutros-Ghali, for his tireless efforts to build a new kind of

international relations for the Organization.

The opportunity for our State to participate in the

affairs of the world community as an independent entity

flowed, of course, from those events that the Secretary-

General, in his report on the work of the Organization,

describes as

“the momentum in world affairs that appeared so

dramatically at the outset of this decade.” (A/50/1,

para. 4)

Serenely, and immensely grateful for its good fortune,

Turkmenistan embarked on its independent course and,

without any political romanticism, began to carry out its

programme of building a nation-State and a system of

foreign ties and seeking optimal ways for participating in

international relations. This was a quest for Turkmenistan’s

place in the United Nations system and a model of

statehood reflecting its national mentality and the traditions

of the Turkmen people.

Since that time, in our four years of independent

existence, we have travelled a great distance, and each step

we have taken along the way has been both in the national

interest of Turkmenistan and in the interest of stabilizing

the region and strengthening international security, in the

constant conviction that these two are inseparable.

After engaging in broad contacts within the system of

Asian States, we have once again become convinced of the

correctness of the conclusion drawn at the beginning of

this century that Asia, with its enormous human, natural

and intellectual resources, had every possibility of

becoming the most prosperous region in the world.

However, throughout the entire history of the Asian

continent, instability and protracted regional conflicts have

often, unfortunately, constituted the political background,

and this has significantly complicated the solution of

problems of internal development.

Turkmenistan has set as its main priority the

preservation of internal stability and social peace in

carrying out radical reforms in building its State and its

economy. This is vitally necessary in order for us to take

advantage of our enormous resource potential. But that

important condition is not the only one: the other is

stability around us so that we can freely and naturally

develop our trade and economic relations with other

States. This question is of special interest, in view of the

world’s share of hydrocarbon deposits and other mineral

and biological resources that Turkmenistan possesses.

Turkmenistan is at one of the world’s important

crossroads of political and economic interests, in a

regional dimension and beyond. Aware of this geopolitical

reality, Turkmenistan is prepared to participate in the

most constructive way in establishing new relations in the

region and to promote efforts to establish there overall

stability, security and effective and mutually advantageous

cooperation on the basis of the principles of the United

Nations.

We believe that with the breakup of the Soviet

Union and the Iron Curtain’s disappearance from its

borders with its southern neighbours, a new region has

emerged, a new community of States of Central Asia, the

Middle East, South-West Asia, the Caucasus and part of

the Near East. This region is united by common

development interests, the restoration of historical trade

and economic relations and cultural and humanitarian

traditions.

This was the logic that led to the idea of active

participation in the Economic Cooperation Organization

(ECO). I would like to emphasize that the ECO’s

configuration fully corresponds to our concept of a new

region’s emergence following the disintegration of the

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: the restoration of a

natural gravitational attraction between these States that

for decades were artificially divided by an ideological

barrier, which conditions for them the priority of

transportation, telecommunications and energy

34

programmes. Underlying these processes lies the principle

of absolute economic feasibility, based on the mutual

interests of the member States of the ECO and the absence

of any political, territorial or other disputes between them.

As for the internal tensions that persist in some

countries, we should stress that economic cooperation,

participation and joint projects will create fertile soil for

constructive solutions to these problems. Turkmenistan

believes that this 10-country organization, emerging at such

an important time, will open up additional possibilities for

the newly independent States to the south of the former

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Furthermore, the basis of our political and economic

strategy is the principle of reasonable pragmatism and the

preservation of positive experiences and ties from the past.

We have a politically new type of State. Its independent

status cannot be achieved by denying the realities of the

past and old ties that can still serve our higher interests

today. In this respect, our relations with Russia and other

partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

have remained a key component of Turkmenistan’s foreign

policy.

I would like to lay special emphasis on the fact that

the obligations that neutral Turkmenistan has assumed have

been set out in our Constitution and have been supported by

the people. These obligations not only take account of

national interests but also objectively promote the

development of cooperation in the region, and they have

enormous potential for stimulating the peacemaking

processes in the area and for promoting the efforts of the

world community, primarily here at the United Nations, to

rid it of obsolete measures and adopt preventive measures

to defuse disputes and conflicts.

I would like to set out some parameters of

Turkmenistan’s neutrality initiative in order to make sure

that it is correctly understood by our partners in the United

Nations and supported by them as well.

The rapid pace of recent events determined the

changes in Asia’s geopolitical and geo-economic situation.

The nature and direction of inter-State and regional

processes, an important component of some of these

changes, has resulted in the formation of new, independent

States, each having chosen its own independent path of

development and having its own interests. One of the ways

in which the uniqueness of each country has been

manifested is in its political path, as is natural. For each

country that path is based on the people’s historical roots,

mentality and psychological make-up. Turkmenistan is no

exception to this. Merging the prospects for its own

development with the direction and nature of regional and

continental processes and linking national interests with

the objective requirements of the day — from this

theoretical and practical basis we have arrived at the need

to proclaim neutrality as a principle and instrument of

Turkmenistan’s foreign policy. We are pleased that our

neutrality initiative is finding more and more support,

attracting civil and political interest and receiving broad

international recognition. We are grateful to the Secretary-

General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for providing

Turkmenistan with assistance in this regard.

In the context of asserting itself as a neutral State,

Turkmenistan requested admission to the Non-Aligned

Movement as a full-fledged member. We hope that during

the non-aligned summit in Cartagena, Colombia,

Turkmenistan’s membership will be confirmed. In this

context, I would like to state Turkmenistan’s conviction

that the idea of non-alignment is both a vital and a viable

one. We do not share the view that it is archaic. We

believe that we must not participate in the two conflicting

global systems and that we need to turn to an idea of

non-participation in the various rigid regional blocs,

multi-State formations capable of generating considerable

destructive force. Turkmenistan advocates non-alignment,

as well as non-participation in improper acts of

intervention in the internal affairs of States, non-

participation in efforts for global or regional dominance

and non-participation in schemes to limit the role of the

United Nations or weaken the universal and proven

machinery for implementing global policy. Such practices

serve selfish purposes.

We are convinced that the use of military force to

solve existing conflicts has no future, but that negotiations

are effective. Although seeking peaceful means is

complex, alternatives do not exist. At the same time, we

understand that without active efforts, without good will,

it will hardly be possible to attain the desired result.

Therefore, inter alia, while not intervening in the Tajik

conflict, we are prepared to play a role in holding the

next round of inter-Tajik negotiations. We welcome and

commend the peacemaking efforts of the United Nations

and Russia, Iran, Pakistan and other countries in this

process.

Naturally, we must be concerned at the situation

unfolding in neighbouring Afghanistan. Supporting

contacts with the central Government in Kabul, as well as

with regional leaders, we believe that the Afghans must

35

be helped to demonstrate their ability to achieve peace and

consensus in their country, and that attempts to intervene in

Afghanistan’s internal affairs not only are counter-

productive, but may lead to highly undesirable

consequences. In that context, I would like to emphasize

that Turkmenistan gives priority to the United Nations, to

the Secretary-General’s efforts to find an acceptable

machinery for an Afghan settlement. Turkmenistan agrees

with the concern expressed from this rostrum at the

continuing internal Afghan conflict. Turkmenistan has a

long border with this long-suffering State and is truly

interested in finding a prompt settlement to the Afghan

problem. We are also interested in the success of the

special representative of the United Nations, who in our

view requires serious support from the United Nations. We

cannot allow a situation whereby efforts to focus on solving

one conflict cause less attention to be paid to another,

resulting in negative consequences.

Just as mankind has become aware that the nuclear

threat has a global dimension, we are also aware that today

we need an adequate response to all regional and local

disputes and conflicts. I would like to emphasize that

Ashkhabad is prepared to engage in constructive

cooperation with the United Nations on these issues, and to

demonstrate its commitment to the principles of

constructive neutrality.

All countries and peoples are now adapting in their

own ways to new conditions in the world, which dictate the

need to adopt a common philosophy of security, based on

the principle of security for one and security for all. I

would like to emphasize that at this stage we are talking

about a philosophy, of perceptions of the world, reflecting

realities in Asian countries, in particular. This philosophy

excludes the use of force, diktat, as a means of solving

political disputes, and its main principles should include

equality, humanism, social and economic progress, and

healthy pragmatism.

Here I should like to support what was said by my

colleague from Germany, Mr. Klaus Kinkel, who

emphasized that we must not allow hostile stereotypes to

become instilled in people’s minds and that we cannot

associate in one sweep Islam with terrorism and

fundamentalism. We welcome this assertion and express our

conviction that this attitude will become universal.

As for Turkmenistan, we are fundamental advocates of

a secular State model, in which religion would play its

proper role. We believe that, as has been emphasized by

President Niyasov, a poly-ethnic, multi-faith State model

and structure is more effective, more fruitful, than a

mono-ethnic and mono-religious State.

I take this opportunity to emphasize the support that

Turkmenistan has received, through its participation in the

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE), in European matters, as one of the legal

successors of the former federated State. This has created

for us, in a difficult transitional time of colossal

transformations, the possibility of benefiting from Asian-

European development. In that context, the words of the

Minister for Foreign Affairs of France, Mr. Hervé de

Charette, were very important for us, when he spoke

about the States of Asia and Africa and about focusing on

the first meeting of Heads of State of Asia and Africa, set

for March 1996. We hope, within the context of

activating work on the Euro-Asian bridge, that there will

be other major projects, with the participation of

Turkmenistan, on a direct window to Europe. Primarily,

we are talking about a north-south transit corridor to link

Europe and Asia, through the territory of Russia and

Turkmenistan, facilitating the supply of Turkmen energy

to European markets and so on.

I should like to emphasize that we have witnessed a

significant, if not radical, increase in international interest

in Caspian Sea matters, and the utilization of its abundant

natural resources. Our conceptual approach to this is

based on the idea that the Caspian Sea is a unique water

basin and the common property of the five coastal States.

In the making of plans for the development of its

resources account should be taken of those States’

interests; their consent should be required and no

unilateral decisions should be taken. Turkmenistan firmly

advocates the prevention of any naval activities in the

Caspian Sea, and favours freedom of navigation, on the

basis of a legal status to be developed by the littoral

States. We must create legal and economic conditions that

will guarantee a normal regime for foreign investment and

exclude any risks for investors, such as the emergence of

a situation of distrust between the States of the basin.

At the coming anniversary session of the General

Assembly next month, President Niyasov will set forth

the principles of the domestic and foreign policies of

Turkmenistan, focusing on problems being taken up by

the United Nations, an Organization reflecting the face of

mankind, which today faces a new millennium with its

unique challenges and times and circumstances. We

sincerely congratulate each other, and first and foremost

congratulate the Secretary-General, as we are absolutely

convinced that the United Nations, in this year of its

36

fiftieth anniversary, will prove that it is essential to the

world as the highest international assembly, developing an

agenda for global partnership in the twenty-first century.