THE PRESIDENT OF TURKMENISTAN TOOK PART IN A MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF HEADS OF STATES OF THE CIS

On December 18, 2020, a meeting of the Council of Heads of States of the Commonwealth of Independent States was held in the format of a video conference.

The meeting was attended by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan I. Aliyev, President of the Republic of Belarus A. Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev, Acting President of the Kyrgyz Republic T. Mamytov, President of the Republic of Moldova I. Dodon, President of the Russian Federation V. Putin, President of the Republic of Tajikistan E. Rahmon, President of Turkmenistan G. Berdimuhamedov, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev, as well as Chairman of the Executive Committee - Executive Director of the CIS S. Lebedev.

During the meeting, the participants discussed cooperation within the CIS in political, trade-economic, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres of mutual interest. A constructive exchange of views took place on key issues of interaction, including the fight with the pandemic.

The Concept of further development of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Plan of main measures for its implementation, proposals for the development and strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation of the CIS countries and other vectors of partnership were considered.

In his speech at the meeting, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that "Turkmenistan is convinced that the CIS has great potential in economic and social development, humanitarian and cultural cooperation, and in a positive impact on regional and global processes."

He emphasized the high level of trust and solidarity inherent in relations between countries on the Commonwealth platform and made a number of specific proposals, including on strengthening economic integration, health systems, including the establishment of mechanisms for scientific and medical cooperation and the implementation of joint developments in the field of medicine.

The President of Turkmenistan also drew attention to the need to restore the role of international law and the UN Charter, to strengthen the culture of peace and trust in international affairs. In this regard, the initiative of Turkmenistan was emphasized, on the basis of which 2021 was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly as the International Year of Peace and Trust. Noting that next year it is planned to hold a high-level international conference in Ashgabat dedicated to strengthening peace, security, ensuring sustainable development, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed confidence that this event will become an effective step towards strengthening friendly relations between the countries of the world.

During the meeting of the Council of CIS Heads of States, the results of joint activities in the past year were summed up, priorities for the future period were outlined. The participants expressed their gratitude to the Republic of Uzbekistan for the successful chairmanship of the Commonwealth this year and welcomed the chairmanship of the Republic of Belarus in the CIS in 2021.

The Turkmen side signed the Decisions of the Council of CIS Heads of States “On the development and strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation of the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States”; "On the chairmanship of the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2021"; "On the Joint Statement of the Heads of States of the Commonwealth of Independent States on the Occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations Organization"; "On the Joint Statement of the Heads of the Member States of the Commonwealth of Independent States on Cooperation in the Field of International Information Security"; "On the implementation in 2022 of the Interstate Program" Cultural Capitals of the Commonwealth "in the Kyrgyz Republic" and "On the announcement in the Commonwealth of Independent States of 2022 as the Year of Folk Art and Cultural Heritage, 2023 - the Year of the Russian language as a language of interethnic communication."