A NEW PAGE - TURKMEN-QATAR RELATIONS
Having friendly neighbours is great. Confidently, everyone enjoys to have friendly neighbours, and our country is also pleased to have good friendly diplomatic relations with Qatar and its genuinely beautiful people.
As we, the citizens of a peace-loving country, we emphasize with full confidence that Turkmenistan consistently expands its diplomatic missions, interested in international partnership, as well as steadily implements the policy of peace, good neighbourliness and fruitful international cooperation and actively participate in the development of balanced decisions on urgent problems of the world community through diplomatic channels. Turkmenistan provides the best opportunity to have peaceful diplomatic means to reduce the level of any conflict in the world and to contribute to improving and strengthening of world peace under the motto "Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace".
Following the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan, it should be noted that the main objectives of the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan are:
-promoting international peace, security and sustainable development;
-strengthening the role of Turkmenistan in the world arena;
-consistent upholding of the national interests of the state in the system of international relations.
Following these lofty goals, the foreign policy of Turkmenistan is faced with the tasks of ensuring a comprehensive and reliable security system for Turkmenistan, strengthening its independence and sovereignty, as well as strict adherence to the principles of the legal status of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan in order to promote international peace, security and sustainable development.
From the moment Turkmenistan gained independence, our country pays, first of all, special attention to strengthening relations with the neighbouring states of the region, makes efforts to create an atmosphere of friendship, trust, good neighborliness as well as mutually beneficial partnership.
As it is known, one of the mutually beneficial partnerships at present is TURKMEN-QATAR RELATIONS. Turkmen-Qatari relations are one of the special events in the history of bilateral relations between the two countries.
When we talk about Qatar, it occurs to us “What is Qatar famous for?”. According to the sources that Qatar is an Arab country, which is located on a peninsula washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf. Its hinterland is an arid desert, while its coastline is covered with beaches and dunes. Doha, the capital of the country, is famous for its futuristic skyscrapers and ultra-modern buildings, made in the style of ancient Islamic architecture. One of them is the Museum of Islamic Art on the Corniche.
If we are interested in its language and religion in Qatar, we can rely on the sources that Islam is the dominant religion in Qatar. Two-thirds of the population is Muslim, followed by Hindu and Christian. Arabic is the national language, although English is widely spoken in business. With more than 100 nationalities living in Qatar, many languages are heard on Doha’s streets and in its malls.
Or if we want to get acquaintance with the economy in Qatar, we can first understand Why economy is important for any country?
Economic growth increases state capacity and the supply of public goods. When economies grow, states can gain the capacity and resources needed to provide the public goods and services that their citizens need, like healthcare, education, social protection and basic public services.
According to the sources Qatar economy is largely based on oil and gas.
Today, Qatar is considered one of the richest countries in the world, thanks to oil and natural gas. Qatar's oil and natural gas resources are the main engine of the country's economy and a source of government revenue, which contributes to Qatar's high economic growth.
According to the source, Foreign relations of Qatar is conducted through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Arab states were among the first to recognize Qatar, and the country gained admittance to the United Nations and the Arab League after achieving independence in 1971. The country was an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Diplomatic missions of Qatar are based in its capital, Doha.
Qatar’s regional relations and foreign policies are characterized by strategy of balancing and alliance building among regional and great powers. It maintains independent foreign policy and engages in regional balancing to secure its strategic priorities and to have recognition on the regional and international level.
What is Qatar's role in international peace?
Qatar's foreign policy respects and honours all international treaties and conventions to which it is a party. Its priorities in foreign policy include mediating disputes between conflicting parties to achieve peaceful resolutions and promoting sustainable development.
So, in the framework of its foreign policy, neutral Turkmenistan pays a great attention to attaching special importance to its relations with neighboring countries, with which it has historical, political, economic and cultural ties.
So, on March 2, 1992, after gaining its independence, Turkmenistan became a member of the UN; Turkmenistan’s permanent mission, established under this organization, became its first diplomatic mission established abroad.
So , the diplomatic relations between the two sides were established in 1996.
It is necessary to highlight that high-level meetings and talks play an important role in the development of interstate relations. In this regard, a number of high-level visits have been held between Turkmenistan and the State of Qatar in recent years.
In both countries, the expansion of Turkmen-Qatari relations in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres is of great importance.
It is necessary to mention the cooperation of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan with one of the outstanding high educational establishments of the State of Qatar. And one of them is the Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Institute of Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar.
They once again called on Turkmenistan to intensify the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of science and education between Turkmenistan and the State of Qatar.
In this regard, On December 3, 2022, our Honourable President, at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, visited to the State of Qatar.
It should be noted that during the visit, a meeting was held with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during which the state and prospects of interstate cooperation were discussed. It was noted that relevant work is being carried out to open a diplomatic representation of Turkmenistan in Doha.
According to it, on March 19-20, 2023, our Esteemed President paid a state visit to Qatar. The Turkmen leader's visit to Qatar is also of particular importance in further strengthening and developing bilateral cooperation.
In one word, this current visit is intended to open a new important step in the history of interstate relations, which are based on the bonds of friendship, brotherhood and spiritual closeness connecting with the peoples of the two countries, as well as it is also aimed at developing large-scale cooperation for the benefit of common well-being.
One of them is opening the embassy of Turkmenistan in the State of Qatar, in the city of Doha and during high-level talks, important areas of cooperation were identified, taking into account the current situation and available opportunities.
Turkmenistan and Qatar have enormous resources to develop effective relations in various fields, increase the volume of mutual trade and improve its structure, and implement joint projects. Energy system, trade, investment, transport and communications, industry, agriculture, high technology systems, relations between business groups are promising areas of cooperation.
Attaching great importance to trade and economic relations, Turkmenistan and Qatar attach importance to humanitarian cooperation as the main direction of interstate relations, which is an important condition for the rapprochement of peoples, friendship and mutual understanding. It should also be noted that there are positive opportunities for deepening effective relations in the fields of education, science, culture, sports, tourism, and healthcare. Turkmen-Qatari relations are constantly developing on a multilateral basis, including within the framework of the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement and other authoritative structures.
This visit is a new step and a new contribution to the further strengthening the development of bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the State of Qatar.
Taking into account this significant visit of our Esteemed President has opened a new historical epoch for building fruitful and productive relations in various opportunities for establishing cooperation in all spheres between Turkmenistan and the State of Qatar.
We are very grateful to our esteemed President for his great efforts to develop and strengthen peace in the every aspects of life for the Turkmen people and as well as for the great opportunities to establish cooperation in other areas and build a steady bridge of friendship and mutual understanding between the two fraternal peoples.
We wish our esteemed President sound health, long life, and great achievements in all his undertakings.
Chemen BAYRIEVA,
Senior lecturer of the Institute of International
Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan