Neutrality – The İnviolable Foundation of the Foreign Policy of Turkmenistan
The ancient qualities and traditions of benevolence, peace-lovingness, and humanism of the Turkmen people constitute the core of our state's foreign policy based on positive Neutrality. Under the wise leadership of our esteemed President, the policy pursued by our National Leader, aimed at achieving significant successes in implementing the country's foreign policy strategy, developing international cooperation, and seeking positive solutions to the issues of universal human development, finds support from the global community. The radiant, proud words, “The first Neutral state in the world recognized by the UN – our ancestral homeland – beloved Turkmenistan!’ have today become an anthem on the lips and in the hearts of our prosperous people.
Thanks to the unparalleled efforts of our Hero Arkadag and Arkadagly Hero Serdar, our white city Ashgabat is currently known to the world as a conciliatory center in the region. A vivid testament to this is the negotiations held in Ashgabat in the mid-90s of the 20th century under the auspices of the UN for the political settlement of internal conflicts in Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Currently, this experience holds particular significance for the region.
Thus, Turkmenistan has become the UN's most reliable partner in solving such important issues of the modern era as the peaceful regulation of the situation in Afghanistan, supporting regional disarmament, finding balanced solutions to water and energy issues, and ensuring ecological well-being. Turkmenistan was elected to the Vice-Presidency of the 58th, 62nd, 64th, 68th, 71st, 75th, 77th and 79th sessions of the UN General Assembly, as well as to authoritative structures of this organization in different years and for various terms.
The main principle of Turkmenistan's foreign policy is positive Neutrality. Its meaning and content are national in character. The National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, emphasizes in his fundamental work “Neutral Turkmenistan”: “We chose the model called positive neutrality. Its basic rules consist of peace-lovingness, non-interference in the affairs of other states, respect for their independence and territorial integrity, and non-participation in international military alliances and military treaties.”
As our great thinker Magtymguly Fragi said, for centuries, the Turkmen people have dreamed of building the foundations of their own state and living in peace. For this reason, the main characteristics of neutrality-peace-lovingness, tolerance, respect for others' views, and openness to the world-are inherent and understandable to their spirit. The principle of positive neutrality put forward by Turkmenistan, looking into the long-term future, takes into account two real situations – geopolitical and geoeconomic conditions. The collapse of the USSR and the emergence of new independent states created a new geopolitical relationship of forces in the region and formed a new major geopolitical structure of states.
Turkmenistan, located in a geographically advantageous position, lies at the crossroads of strategic routes between Europe and Asia, serving as a unique bridge between the two continents. This rare geographical situation, combined with the country's vast mineral and raw material resources, makes Turkmenistan's model of neutrality particularly significant and appealing to the international community. The model of Turkmenistan's neutrality embodies a profound understanding of the new reality of the changing world and modern geopolitics, and relies on the national character and centuries-old traditions of our people.
Before appealing to the United Nations to recognize this model, consultations were held with neighboring countries. In March 1995, a meeting of the Heads of State of the ECO member states was held in Islamabad, Pakistan. The idea of recognizing Turkmenistan's neutrality at the international level was proposed at the meeting. All ten ECO member states supported this idea.
Then, in July 1995, a conference of the Non-Aligned Movement, consisting of 113 states, took place in Cartagena (Colombia). At the conference, Turkmenistan became the first among the CIS countries to join this movement, becoming its 114th member state. The Non-Aligned Movement also unanimously supported Turkmenistan's policy aimed at obtaining the status of permanent neutrality. Turkmenistan's policy of permanent Neutrality occupies an important place in ensuring international peace, security, and sustainable development. On December 12, 1995, the United Nations General Assembly, with the support of 185 states, granted Turkmenistan the legal status of permanent Neutrality.
The opening of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat in 2007 became one of the results of our country’s Permanent Neutrality. Furthermore, on June 3, 2015, at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the resolution "Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan" was adopted for the second time, unanimously supported by 193 member states. It is necessary to note the importance of the adoption of the resolution "Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan" for the 3rd time under agenda item 61 "Peacebuilding and sustaining peace" at the 61st plenary meeting of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on March 21, 2025.
Turkmenistan's Neutrality policy is of significant importance in ensuring peace in the region and across the world. Based on our country's initiatives, the UN General Assembly adopted several Resolutions in 2024, including “2025 — International Year of Peace and Trust”, “Central Asia — Zone of Peace, Trust, and Cooperation”, “United Nations Games”, and “Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia”. These historical events are proof that our Homeland's Neutrality policy enjoys substantial support from the international community.
Permanent Neutrality means prosperity, tranquility, happiness, and eternal peace. And peace is the source of all blessings.
Seydahmet KEMALOV,
III year student of the Faculty of International Relations
of the Institute of International Relations
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.