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TURKM N I TAN

Neutrality and

Transport in Eurasia

Interview with His Excellency
Atageldi Haljanov

Ambassador

Q: Could you tell us something Indeed, in 2015 we cele-
about your country? brate a grand occasion:
the twentieth anniversary
Turkmenistan -- the neutral, demo- since the world community
cratic, legal, secular and dynamically recognized the legal status
developing state in the Central Asian of Turkmenistan's perma-
region -- is a land with a unique land- nent neutrality according
scape, rich natural resources, nume- to a resolution adopted by
rous historical monuments, a multi- the United Nations Gene-
national population and age-old ral Assembly. Furthermore,
cultural traditions. by a national resolution of the Elders of international relations, has not been
Council of Turkmenistan, 2015 has able to avoid being faced with exactly
Abundant natural resources and an been declared the Year of Neutrality these circumstances. Therefore, at
advantageous geo-economic location and Peace. the moment of its independence the
have resulted in the development of challenge of choosing a strategy for
the country's diversified production This year is really a meaningful its foreign policy became a most cru-
potential. Enormous reserves of raw date for our people -- an impor- cial and difficult matter. What should
materials are available beneath the tant event in the independent his- our foreign policy be? What kind of
Turkmen land. Turkmenistan has the tory of the Turkmen state. It is also relationships should we establish with
fourth largest natural gas reserves in a good occasion to review progress the international community? And on
the world. The country is not limited over the recent past, to sum up the what principles should cooperation be
to the production or export of energy results, to take stock of Turkmen- based? The fate of Turkmen statehood
resources, but is also home to high- istan's present stage of develop- and sovereignty depended to a large
performance enterprises using inno- ment, and to make plans and set prio- extent on the finesse of our choices.
vative technologies to cater to the rities for the future. This year we will
modern market. Industry is a basic proceed together with our friends and Turkmenistan has chosen a model
component of economic growth. The partners from different countries of called positive neutrality and has for-
concentrated supply of raw materials the world --whose opinions we value. mulated its fundamental principles:
has led to the setting up of an indus- peacefulness; non-interference in the
trial sector in Turkmenistan based on Concerning the importance of Turk- affairs of other nations; respect for
the fuel and energy sector. In fact, the menistan as a neutral country, it their sovereignty and territorial integ-
country's entire territory as well as the should be noted that any country rity; and non-participation in inter-
adjacent off-shore areas of the Cas- that has taken the road towards inde- national military organizations and
pian Sea are of interest in the explora- pendence is forced to address a range treaties. Of course, first and foremost,
tion for oil and gas. of challenges in a very short space Turkmenistan was guided by national
of time, to find its place among new self-interest. The young Turkmen state
Q: The twentieth anniversary of realities and to respond to objective wanted to exist in peace and harm-
Turkmenistan's neutrality has just issues with which history confronts it. ony with its neighbours, to maintain
being celebrated. Why was it so Turkmenistan, which gained inde- friendly and fair relations with all
important for your country to be pendence after the collapse of the countries, and to develop mutually
neutral? Soviet Union and experienced the des- beneficial economic contacts with
truction of the entire post-war system them. We firmly believed that it was

12 International