Distinguished Heads and Members of Delegations,
I sincerely welcome you to Turkmenistan and wish to express my deep gratitude for your active participation in the International Forum of Peace and Trust, which has brought together leaders and representatives of many countries, authoritative international organizations, politicians, diplomats and public figures.
The high level of representation at this important political event is clear evidence of respect and trust for Turkmenistan, recognition of its constructive role in international affairs, and appreciation of its contribution to the preservation and strengthening of universal peace and security.
The agenda of today’s Forum encompasses a wide range of issues related to reinforcing stability, ensuring steady and sustainable development of States, considering a number of social and humanitarian measures, as well as other challenges facing the global agenda.
Distinguished participants,
Throughout 2025, within the framework of the International Year of Peace and Trust, and together with partners from other countries, multilateral associations and institutions, Turkmenistan carried out purposeful and constructive foreign policy work. It was conducted at various levels in regional and international formats and united by a common goal: creating conditions for the effective development of international relations in a positive direction, restoring trust in world politics, and affirming a culture of respectful dialogue. Today, these principles and goals are especially relevant.
It is therefore natural that, amid differing approaches on many aspects of the world order, Turkmenistan’s initiative to proclaim 2025 the International Year of Peace and Trust, and the related resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, became a major and symbolic event on today’s agenda. It has received high appreciation from UN Member States and the international community-within political and diplomatic circles and among decision-makers in international relations. Many countries saw in this initiative an opportunity to foster a constructive and respectful atmosphere of communication when addressing the most acute problems.
Of course, our initiative was not accidental. It became a logical stage in Turkmenistan’s long-standing efforts as a peace-loving, neutral State aimed at ensuring a peaceful, sustainable and stable course of international processes, and at creating preconditions for resolving complex situations exclusively by political and diplomatic means and methods. The International Year of Peace and Trust provides such an opportunity, and thus its significance today truly acquires a global dimension.
For various reasons, the world is going through a difficult period. In this regard, as never before, solidarity of all responsible, healthy and peace-loving forces is needed-unity and determination to counter negative phenomena and threats undermining the global security architecture.
By advancing the initiative of Peace and Trust based on dialogue as the only viable and realistic approach to current global problems, Turkmenistan proceeds from the need to use more actively and effectively the entire arsenal of politics and diplomacy, public opinion, historical experience, and accumulated humanistic and cultural heritage. Constructive mobilization of potential, political maturity, will and principled commitment are required from the international community and from all States, regardless of their social and political systems, size, population and other factors. Today, we all bear responsibility for the future of our planet.
Speaking of mechanisms for such unity, I primarily refer to the potential of the United Nations. The UN’s capabilities should be used as the only international organization endowed with universal legitimacy and mandate. Cooperation on the platform of Peace and Trust presupposes recognized political and legal foundations and clear principles enshrined in the UN Charter-equality, mutual respect and non-interference in sovereign affairs.
To follow these principles means to preserve peace and predictability and to rebuild the pillars of civilized interaction.
In promoting the concept of Peace and Trust today, in addition to traditional diplomacy, it is necessary to engage interparliamentary channels of communication, as well as women’s and youth diplomacy. Our country is doing much in this regard. In recent years alone, Turkmenistan has hosted a number of major events of this orientation, including representative international and regional forums. We proceed from the understanding that people-to-people diplomacy can and should become an important support for official diplomacy, possessing additional levers to influence political decision-making.
An essential role in building respectful and constructive inter-State relations is played by information dialogue. We regard it as an important component of our initiative of Peace and Trust, as well as of the global formula advanced by Turkmenistan several years ago: “Dialogue is the Guarantee of Peace.” Mass media should be used exclusively for constructive purposes. For this, it is necessary to counter cybercrime and prevent the dissemination of biased materials in the media space.
We view cooperation on the platform of Peace and Trust as a systemic and continuous process of international dialogue oriented towards the future. It should cover a significant range of activities. In this context, we consider it important to expand the projection of the criteria of Peace and Trust to the solution of universal tasks in such areas as environmental protection, access to clean water and air, modern medicine, inclusive education, ensuring food security, and other key social issues.
We propose, together with partners from interested States and international organizations, to develop under the auspices of Peace and Trust a new forward-looking “Roadmap for Cooperation.” We are ready to discuss both the substantive and organizational aspects of this initiative.
Distinguished participants,
Today, 12 December, Turkmenistan marks a historic date-the thirtieth anniversary of the international recognition of our State’s status of permanent neutrality.
Over this period, Turkmenistan’s neutrality has demonstrated its viability and full consistency with national goals, strategic objectives and guidelines in the international arena.
The effectiveness and stabilizing impact of Turkmenistan’s neutrality on regional processes is indisputable, including its role in developing and strengthening fraternal, friendly and mutually beneficial relations among the States of Central Asia and neighboring countries and regions-our traditional partners.
Practice has confirmed the full compatibility of the basic principles of Turkmenistan’s neutrality with the interests and priorities of the United Nations and the implementation of its large-scale programmes and strategies. Our country is always ready to place its neutrality in the service of peace, mutual understanding, cooperation and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Permanent neutrality determines both Turkmenistan’s objectives in the international arena and the means of achieving them, including such instruments as preventive diplomacy, active peacemaking and mediation functions.
Turkmenistan has advanced a number of initiatives, including the establishment of a UN Chamber of Mediation, and granting neutral and non-aligned States the status of priority partners of the UN in its peace efforts. We also proceed from the need to expand geographically and strengthen the mandate of the UN Regional Centres for Preventive Diplomacy.
At the same time, I wish to emphasize: for Turkmenistan, neutrality is not merely a model of foreign policy. It is the foundation of our worldview and our understanding of the role and responsibility of the State and the people-our distinctive contribution to the development of modern civilization.
Neutrality, Peace and Trust, mutual respect and understanding-these concepts define today the essence of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy and domestic development, having been strengthened at the legislative level.
Therefore, our neutrality is immutable; it is not subject to external conjuncture or temporary, situational factors. All approaches to global, regional and bilateral agendas, and all initiatives and practical actions of Turkmenistan, are and will be strictly aligned with the status of permanent neutrality.
Dear friends,
Our Forum is a concrete and clear message to the world-a call to enhance responsibility, foresight and solidarity, and to consolidate the efforts of the international community for the sake of peace and progress.
We believe that the concepts of peace and trust, as fundamental political and philosophical categories, will find support among the Community of Nations and will become a platform for shaping a modern, resilient and comprehensive global architecture of the future. Much remains to be done together to improve the international climate, restore trust and the culture of political dialogue. Today’s Forum is an important step in this direction.
I wish all participants success in their endeavors for the benefit of peace, mutual understanding and cooperation.
Thank you.