TURKMENISTAN UNDERLINES SIGNIFICANCE OF CREATION OF SOLID ECONOMIC FOUNDATION FOR FURTHER ADVANCING THE PEACE PROCESS IN AFGHANISTAN

On March 30, 2021, the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs within the framework of the Ninth Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process was held in a hybrid format in Dushanbe.

The meeting was attended by the heads and representatives of the external affairs agencies of the countries-participants of the Istanbul Process and supporting countries. In addition the representatives of international organizations took part in the conference.

During the meeting a video message of the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan R.Meredov was heard.

In his statement the head of the MFA of Turkmenistan once again confirmed a firm position of Turkmenistan in the peaceful settlement of the situation in Afghanistan with the participation of all responsible and constructive parties. It was underlined that Central Asia and Afghanistan represent a single geo-political and geo-economic space.

It was noted that realizing the significance of such spheres of economy as energy, transport and communications for all-round development of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan is actively working to promote a number of major international infrastructure projects which are being implemented nowadays with the participation of two neighboring countries and states of South Asia. First of all, we are talking about the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan power transmission lines and fiber-optic communication lines, as well as construction of railway lines from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan. In collaboration with the partner-countries, Turkmenistan is actively working on creation of transit and transport corridors. One illustrative example is the Lapis Lazuli corridor.

Turkmenistan intends to intensify its activities in the framework of bilateral and multilateral structures with the aim of strengthening of peace and stability in Afghanistan. The country is also ready to provide its political space for developing a peaceful dialogue.

Following the meeting, the Dushanbe Declaration was adopted.