Astrakhan hosted an international round table dedicated to the topic “Institute of Neutrality as a Tool for Ensuring Security and Sustainable Development: Experience of Turkmenistan” and timed to coincide with the Day of Neutrality of the Country. This is reported by astravolga.ru.
Scientists, political scientists, analysts, journalists and social activists from Russia, Turkmenistan took part in the event, organized jointly by the Center for International and Socio-Political Research “Caspian-Eurasia”, the Astrakhan State Technical University with the support of the Consulate of Turkmenistan in Astrakhan and the Agency for International Relations of the Astrakhan Region and Kazakhstan.
The prospects for cooperation between Russia and Turkmenistan in the scientific, cultural and humanitarian spheres were discussed.
In his speech, the rector of ASTU Alexander Nevalenny noted:
“In 2021, our partner countries in the CIS celebrated the 30th anniversary of the formation of statehood. In addition, the year declared by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov as the Year of Peace and Confidence is coming to an end. Peace and trust on the shores of the Caspian Sea are strengthening, and the neutrality status of Turkmenistan contributes to good-neighborly relations between our countries.”
“The neutral status of Turkmenistan does not mean that this country has fenced off from world problems. Turkmenistan is known for its diplomatic initiatives, especially in the difficult Afghan direction. Neutral status allows Turkmenistan to talk about international issues with an open mind, in the spirit of mutual respect,” said the moderator of the meeting, head of the international department of ASTU Yevgenia Yukina.
Bike Divankulieva, Senior Lecturer, Department of Archeology and Ethnology of the TSU named after Mahtumkuli stressed that the neutrality of Turkmenistan is synonymous with such concepts as “peace” and “good neighborliness”.
Head of the Department of Social Sciences of the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Ogulkurban Ezimova devoted her report to the neutral status of Turkmenistan, officially recognized by the UN.
In particular, she noted:
“The country is building mutually beneficial friendly relations with all states of the world, and the neutral status gives special dynamism to our relations. Humanism, peacefulness, tolerance and openness are the key principles of Turkmenistan's foreign policy ”.
The source notes that cooperation between the Astrakhan region and Turkmenistan is actively developing in the humanitarian sphere. Now about 2,000 Turkmen students study at the Astrakhan universities. The Center of the Turkmen language was established on the basis of the Astrakhan State University. Also, in 2019, a school named after Mahtumkuli Fragi was opened in the village of Funtovo, built at the initiative of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. School students have a unique opportunity to study the Turkmen language on an optional basis.
Nurlan Izteleuov, the director of the research institute, head of the center “Green technologies” of the Caspian University of technology and engineering named after Sh. Yessenova (Aktau), wished actively develop cooperation between universities of the Caspian countries.
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