NEGOTIATIONS VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE WITH THE OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL

On May 6, 2020, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R. Meredov held talks with Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe T. Greminger in a video conference format.

The parties discussed practical issues of Turkmenistan’s interaction with the OSCE. The need to coordinate efforts to resolve the socio-economic and humanitarian issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic was emphasized. The OSCE Secretary General praised the measures taken by the leadership of Turkmenistan in the field of public health and safety, emphasizing the importance of the country's initiatives in the development of international mechanisms to ensure the stability of cargo flows and transit transport in emergency conditions. The parties were unanimous in the opinion that these aspirations favorably reflected in the situation of neighboring countries.

Speaking about the large number of successfully implemented projects and programs, the parties noted a high level of interaction on key dimensions of partnership, including the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. In this context, the importance of the National Strategy of Turkmenistan to prevent violent extremism and counter terrorism for 2020-2024 was emphasized.

The parties also discussed regional issues, energy security and interstate actions to ensure sustainable transport, including the OSCE project “Promoting the Development of Green Ports in the Caspian Sea Region.” The issues of water, environmental security were discussed. Interest in developing cooperation in the field of digital media, cyber security was confirmed.

On the same day, the OSCE Secretary General T.Greminger met online with the Chairman of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, during which the parties discussed key aspects of interparliamentary cooperation within the OSCE.