Turkmenistan is going to meet the 25th Independence and steadily increases pace of development, continues the intensification of the national economy, reaching new horizons of prosperity and well-being. Our country in accordance with the constitutional level indicates that the person is declared as the main value of the society; by right is one of the fastest growing, prosperous and peace-loving nations of the world. Vivid evidence of it is rapid pace of change, followed by a wide-ranging international cooperation, one of the clearest indicators of which is a close and constructive partnership with the United Nations.
International reputation of Turkmenistan is growing steadily and strengthening thanks to the peace-loving course of the Leader of the nation, its initiatives and concrete actions in the name of peace, security and progress. Due to the successful conduct of cardinal reforms and implementation of national programs aimed at modernization of the economy and transformation of Turkmenistan into industrialized developed country with active integration into the world economy, today we are witnessing an impressive successes, recognized by the international community. One of the bright results in this regard is the active participation of our country in the annual sessions of the UN General Assembly and its management.
Turkmenistan being elected to the high post of the Vice-Chair of the 71-th session of the UN General Assembly, considers the UN High Level Forum as important step towards a consistent consolidation of international efforts to address the key issues of the global agenda, the approval of the UN leading role in the preservation and strengthening of world peace, stability and security, the full realization of the stated agenda of sustainable development up to 2030, the steady implementation the commitments by the UN member states, to ensure sustainable development in the light of the agreements reached during the relevant conferences.
Priority position of our country in the 71st session of the UN General Assembly reflects the inviolability of the basic foundations of its foreign policy, according to which, Turkmenistan will continue to strictly follow the principles of neutrality, non-interference, guided by a strong commitment to a peaceful, political means to resolve conflicts and contradictions.
The reputable role of our country will be acknowledged by its meaningful and initiative activities as a full member of the Executive Board of UNESCO, as well as a number of specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Commission on Economic and Social Council, the Governing Council of the United Nations on Human Settlements Programme, the Commission on Population and Development, the Executive Board for Coordination of the United Nations framework on gender equality and the empowerment of women, the UN Commission for social development, the United Nations Commission on science and technology for development.
The most important task during the upcoming year will be the consistent work on implementation of international initiatives of the President of Turkmenistan His Excellency Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on global and regional issues. Priority positions reflect their strategic directions, covering the promotion of peace and security, strengthening the partnership for sustainable development, increasing international cooperation in the transport and energy sectors, to develop and implement effective solutions to the issues of environmental and disaster risk reduction. As the especially significant topical issues in this regard will be the issues in the field of humanitarian and cultural cooperation.
Peace and security
One of the main components of the global security is the joint action of the United Nations Member States to combat international terrorism. Turkmenistan will continue its work to contribute to the common efforts to combat the threats of terrorism. In this context, concrete steps are taken to implement the Final Declaration and the Joint Action Plan, adopted in November 2011 in Ashgabat on the basis of the International Conference at a high level of Central Asian countries and other states to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia.
The illicit trafficking of drugs and human trafficking are the current challenges and threats of International Security and Stability. Together with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration Turkmenistan will develop concrete projects on cooperation in these areas.
Strictly following the principles of positive neutrality, Turkmenistan will continue to pursue an active policy in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, in the limelight will be the establishment of coordinated actions on implementation of the provisions of the Treaty on the Zone Free from Nuclear Weapons in Central Asia.
Turkmenistan, acting for the strict observance of the universally recognized norms and principles of international law which regulates activities of the international community to promote peace and security, offers to start extensive consultations with a view to develop common conceptual approaches to the issue of resolving conflicts through political and diplomatic tools and methods coordinated by the United Nations Organization.
To this effect, Turkmenistan considers appropriate to convene a special session of the UN General Assembly on strengthening the role of international law as the basis for maintaining global peace and security. The Turkmen side expresses its readiness to submit proposals to develop relevant resolutions on the subject of UN General Assembly.
In the framework of the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan His Excellency Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov it will be proposed to consider the opportunity to prepare a draft resolution of the General Assembly on "International Day of Neutrality and Peace" within the framework of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly.
Sustainable Development Partnership
For the practical implementation of the Agenda for sustainable development till 2030 Turkmenistan's efforts will be focused on its implementation in national programs. The successful implementation of the goals of sustainable development is impossible without wide range of partnership between governments, private sector and civil society built on common principles, values and goals established at global, regional and local levels.
In this context, Turkmenistan considers to be useful to use such forms of multilateral cooperation, as holding regular international conferences, forums, meetings, acting as a political platform for discussion and coordination of positions on topical issues. As a contribution to the realization of sustainable development goals Turkmenistan is ready to provide its political space for such meetings under the patronage and with the active participation of the UN.
The UN General Assembly resolution of 25 September 2015 titled "Transforming Our World: The Sustainability Agenda for the period up to 2030" says that sport is one of the most important factors for sustainable development. In particular, the resolution stated: "We recognize the growing contribution of sport in the matters of development and peace, as it promotes the establishment of the principles of tolerance and respect and promotes the empowerment of women and youth, individuals and communities, as well as the achievement of goals in the field of public health, education and social integration."
Today, sport is one of the main cohesive factors of mutual understanding and cooperation between people and states. Holding the V Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat in September 2017, in which a dozen of states from the Asian continent and the countries of Oceania are expected to participate, is intended to become the main contribution of Turkmenistan in this process.
Taking into account the existing UN traditional practices, Turkmenistan, on the eve of the V Asian Games, offers to conduct series of the high-level forums at the UN area aimed at raising global awareness of the upcoming Games, its sports and universal significance. We invite all UN member states to actively participate in these events.
Development of cooperation in transport sphere
Turkmenistan will contribute to the acceleration of the processes of establishment of various regional and inter-regional transport and transit corridors, which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the growth of economic activity in the world.
Turkmenistan, being an active participant of establishment of an integrated multimodal system of transport-transit infrastructure in the vectors of East-West and North-South, considers reasonable the opportunity to interface various concepts of traffic flows on the Eurasian continent on the basis of mutual benefit, taking into account the interests of all participants in such projects. Our country is ready to conduct substantive negotiations on their participation in the aforesaid projects in various formats, including the venues of international and regional economic organizations.
An important step in the development of coordinated approaches to establishment of transport and transit corridors, as well as in the light of the implementation of the UN General Assembly resolutions on "The role of transport and transit corridors in ensuring international cooperation for sustainable development" on 19 December 2014 and "Towards a comprehensive cooperation between all modes of transport in order to facilitate the creation of sustainable multimodal transit corridors" on December 22, 2015 will become holding the Global conference on Sustainable Transport on 26-27 November, 2016 in Ashgabat. We invite the United Nations member states and international organizations to take an active part in the above-mentioned forum.
Turkmenistan expresses confidence that the consistent implementation of the initiatives to promote international cooperation in the field of transport will allow developing new legal and institutional framework for the expansion of the international transport system linking Asia with Europe. The Turkmen side urges to discuss the basics of the UN Special Programme for the development of transit and transport opportunities on the Eurasian continent within the framework of the Conference.
Development of cooperation in the field of energy
Reliability and safety of international energy flows, legal security of supply routes have become highly relevant today. Development of generally acceptable universal approaches to this problem, aimed at regulating the relationship between suppliers, transit countries and consumers of energy resources is becoming increasingly important.
Shaping its position on this issue, Turkmenistan comes from the firm conviction that international transit of energy resources should be made on an equal and equitable basis to be economically and commercially sound. In this context, Turkmenistan expresses its readiness for close cooperation with the partners on the basis of clearly defined principles. Turkmenistan as the Chair of the Energy Charter in 2017 will consistently defend all the principles and, first of all, the principle of freedom of transit, as fully consistent with the approach to this problem.
Turkmenistan will continue to actively support the work of the International Expert Group for the development of a new international legal mechanism to ensure compliance with the generally accepted rules of conduct in the global energy space.
With a view to contributing to the implementation of sustainable development goals on access to affordable, reliable and modern energy sources, as well as contributing to the steady, inclusive and sustained economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, Turkmenistan will continue to take concrete measures to practical application of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project.
Turkmenistan expressed confidence that sustainable energy is an essential factor in strengthening the security and reliability of the global economy, protecting ecosystems and achieving equity in international affairs.
Cooperation in the field of environmental issues and disaster risk reduction
An integral part of international efforts to achieve the goals of sustainable development is to resolve the problems associated with global climate change, which has a significant impact on the life of humanity and international economic processes.
Turkmenistan will continue implementing practical measures by its earlier initiated concrete proposals in this area aimed at enhancing regional and international cooperation and the establishment of systemic mechanisms of cooperation, including proposals to establish under the auspices and with the active participation of the UN specialized structure ? The Regional Center for technologies related to the climate change issues, for which the Turkmen side is ready to provide the necessary infrastructure.
Taking constructive and balanced steps and actively contributing to the resolving global problems, as well as taking into account the future chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, which is an important platform for the implementation of projects and programs aimed at environmental rehabilitation and the solution of socio-economic and water issues not only the Aral Sea region, but also the entire region, we will continue to promote the initiative of President of Turkmenistan on Water diplomacy within existing international mechanisms in the Central Asian region.
Based on the international initiatives of President of Turkmenistan, having announced at the III World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Turkmenistan will make an efforts to establish a set of measures aimed at the prevention and elimination of consequences of emergency situations caused by natural disasters. In this context the Turkmen side expresses its readiness to work with all stakeholders to establish a regional early warning system for natural disasters in Central Asia and the Caspian region.
Humanitarian issues
Turkmenistan having reaffirmed its commitment to inviolability compliance with the fundamental Conventions and other multilateral UN international acts in the field of human rights and freedoms, expresses its readiness to active participation in the implementation of practical steps in the humanitarian field. In this regard, Turkmenistan will focus its efforts in cooperation with the specialized agencies of the United Nations in implementation of national and regional programs and action plans to ensure the rights and freedoms of person adopted on the basis of international legal instruments of the United Nations. A special place in this activity will be devoted to protecting the most vulnerable groups: refugees, migrants and stateless persons.
Thus, the above mentioned priority positions, as well as consistent implementation proposed at various international forums, initiatives, and proposals will be a key in the development of approaches of Turkmenistan to cooperation with all member states, organizations, bodies, institutions, UN agencies and institutions.
Turkmenistan welcomes the close international cooperation in resolving urgent problems of our time, expresses its firm willingness to work together in the name of the consolidation of high ideals of peace and justice, the goals and challenges facing the United Nations.