Turkmenistan, 2001

First of all, on behalf of the Turkmenistan delegation, I

would like to express my deep condolences to the

families and relatives of the victims of the air crash

that happened yesterday in New York.

I have the honour, on behalf of Mr. Saparmurat

Niyazov, the President of Turkmenistan, to

congratulate the United Nations and Secretary-General

Kofi Annan on receiving the prestigious Nobel Peace

Prize, and I wish the United Nations every success in

its effective and highly competent work aimed at

solving the thorniest problems affecting today’s world.

Mr. President, allow me to congratulate you on

your election as President of the fifty-sixth session of

the General Assembly. We are confident that your

experience and knowledge will expedite the work of

the General Assembly most effectively.

Turkmenistan is participating in the work of the

United Nations General Assembly for the tenth time as

an independent entity in international relations and for

the sixth time as a State whose status of neutrality has

been recognized by the community of nations. Since

the adoption of the General Assembly resolution 50/80

on the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, which is

of historic significance for us, our young State has

consistently witnessed the support of the United

Nations in striving for peace and in our foreign policy

initiatives aimed at strengthening peace, security and

stability. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I would

like to convey to the heads of delegations present here

and to the representatives of the member States of the

United Nations the words of gratitude from President

Niyazov and assure you of Turkmenistan’s unswerving

commitment to its international obligations as a

permanently neutral State.

Relations with the United Nations, based on close

cooperation and strict observance of the fundamental

principles of the Organization, have been and remain at

the fore of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy strategy. For

us, the United Nations is the main and universal

decision-making entity for the most crucial problems of

global development. We share the view of the

Organization itself that providing it with a new impetus

in view of the rapidly changing realities of today’s

world is of the utmost relevance. In our view the main

aspect of this new drive is respect for the overall

balance of interests on the basis of the fundamental

criteria underpinning the functioning of the

Organization, its ideals, the letter and the spirit of the

United Nations Charter. It is our firm belief that the

United Nations has proven over the years of its

existence that it represents the most effective and just

mechanism for resolving international issues. It is the

mainstay of the whole system of international stability

and security.

Turkmenistan has always stood for, and continues

to stand for, the strengthening and expansion of the

United Nations role in the world. In this connection,

we believe that international law and the United

Nations Charter, which is based on principles of peace,

equality, respect for nations and for their rights and

sovereignty and choosing their own way of

development, continue to serve as the basis for the

world order in this new century. This belief reflects our

principles as a neutral State, the entire philosophy of

our country’s foreign policy and our practice in this

decade-long participation in regional and international

affairs.

Turkmenistan attaches the utmost importance to

its cooperation with the United Nations and its

specialized agencies. Our Government and the United

Nations Development Programme jointly carry out a

number of large-scale projects in the social and

economic spheres that have yielded good results for the

environment and many other areas, including health,

education and ecology. Our cooperation with the

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United

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Nations Population Fund and other agencies has been

most effective. Turkmenistan will continue to maintain

close ties with these important agencies of the United

Nations in the search for new avenues of cooperation.

We consider interaction with United Nations

bodies and agencies to be an important and useful

instrument in our regional, economic, cultural and

informational cooperation, as well as in our joint

efforts with the Governments of neighbouring countries

to implement other international programmes of

various types. All of this undoubtedly fosters

neighbourly relations and partnership ties in the region.

Therefore, our country intends to focus in the future on

maintaining the closest possible contact with the

offices of United Nations specialized agencies, whose

importance continues to grow.

Along these lines, I should like to draw particular

attention to the situation that has emerged in our region

since the tragic events of 11 September in the United

States. It was with tremendous grief that the people of

Turkmenistan heard the news from America. The

President of Turkmenistan, on behalf of the people of

our country, expressed sincere condolences to the

families and relatives of victims, and he addressed

words of consolation and compassion to all Americans.

These acts of terror have been unconditionally

condemned in our country. The Government of

Turkmenistan was one of the first to make a statement

in support of international efforts to combat terrorism

effectively. Turkmenistan recommended uniting such

efforts under the auspices of the United Nations.

Action needs to be closely coordinated by the members

of the international community on the basis of

international law, ensuring that no manifestation of

terrorism in this world will go unpunished and making

possible effective and legitimate measures to combat

this evil.

Given what has happened, our country has

cooperated actively with the United Nations in

providing transportation through Turkmenistan for

humanitarian supplies being sent to Afghanistan by

United Nations specialized humanitarian relief

agencies, including UNICEF, the United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees and the World Food

Programme, as well as other governmental and non-

governmental organizations. Turkmenistan’s

constructive position has received general support from

the United Nations and the majority of States in the

world.

We are greatly concerned over the situation in

Afghanistan and the ongoing armed conflict in that

country, which affects stability as well as social and

economic development in the region. Turkmenistan

shares the view that there is no alternative to a peaceful

resolution of the Afghanistan question through

negotiations. That is why we are convinced that the

road to peace in this long-suffering country lies in

political negotiations under the auspices of the United

Nations. In this respect, we greatly appreciate the

efforts of the Secretary-General to enhance the role of

the United Nations in finding a solution to the Afghan

crisis, because it is precisely the United Nations that

must play a role in working out international legal

mechanisms to resolve the situation in Afghanistan.

As to the implementation of a strategy for

peaceful development and cooperation in the region, I

would like to stress that the foreign policy of neutrality

pursued by Turkmenistan from the beginning follows

precisely this path. This point also touches on the

question of exploiting the valuable hydrocarbon

deposits of the Caspian Sea Basin, which involves not

only regional interests but also the interests of many

other nations of the world as well as those of trans-

national companies. It is our policy to take those

interests into account.

Naturally, the oil and natural gas deposits in the

Caspian Sea are extremely important energy resources

for the twenty-first century. Their rational and effective

exploitation, and the construction of an appropriate

pipeline infrastructure to deliver these energy supplies

to world markets, will ensure considerable economic

growth for many States and the welfare of their people.

The United Nations can play an important role in this

process, as it is capable of creating a mechanism to

guarantee the safe and unimpeded transportation of

such raw materials along inter-State pipelines. As the

Assembly will recall, Turkmenistan put forward this

idea at the Millennium Summit and suggested that an

international convention should be worked out in this

regard.

Effective economic activity in the Caspian is

inherently linked to ensuring stability in the Caspian

region. Turkmenistan believes that the Caspian Sea

area should be a zone of peace, stability and sustained

39

international cooperation based on the principles of

justice and mutual respect.

It is clear that the problems now faced by

Member States of the United Nations are complex and

manifold. Their solution is possible not only through

collective efforts but also through the necessary

recognition of the individual role and responsibility of

each nation as a member of the world community. It is

this logic of political behaviour that Turkmenistan has

in mind when it limits itself to the goals of

strengthening peace and promoting economic, social

and cultural development. Our country is always ready

for constructive partnership, and the United Nations

knows that it can always rely on Turkmenistan.