Kaha IMNADZE, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia, Head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia:

This year, as we mark the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s status as a permanently neutral state recognized by the United Nations, we also honor a vision of statehood that has consistently prioritized dialogue over division, and engagement without entanglement. The Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security and Sustainable Development — stands as living proof that neutrality is not silence. It is not detachment. It is not indifference. In the Central Asian context, the principle of neutrality resonates with long-standing traditions of maslahat — council, wisdom, and deliberation — as well as the deeply rooted cultural value of dynchlyk, or peace, as the highest good in society. These concepts reflect the understanding that true stability is not achieved through dominance, but through balance; not through victory, but through mutual respect.

Parliaments are uniquely positioned to champion neutrality — not as a retreat, but as a platform for constructive global citizenship. Through parliamentary diplomacy, legislative frameworks for cooperation, and regional outreach, you give neutrality both institutional depth and democratic legitimacy. The United Nations, and specifically the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, stands with you in this endeavor.

Martin CHUNGONG, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union:

Inter-parliamentary dialogue can allow parliaments to share best practices, to publicize their successes, become more gender-balanced, improve youth representation and to demonstrate their accountability to one another. 

The Inter-parliamentary Union works hand in hand with the United Nations on numerous issues. We hold parliamentary meetings at the United Nations climate change clubs, the World Health Assembly, and the high-level Political forum on sustainable development. We support and encourage the inclusion of parliamentarians and delegations to key processes, such as the Universal Periodic Review undertaken by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

I therefore salute the organizers of this meeting for their efforts to bring the parliamentary perspectives to the Group of Friends of Neutrality. I am heartened to see that the theme of today's meeting specifically mentions trust. Trust is an essential prerequisite for diplomacy in key sources: the freedom to express ourselves, to engage on a human level, and to have confidence that promises will be followed up by actions. 

So, in closing, I encourage you all to approach our discussions today from a starting point of trust and to reward the trust of those around you by following through on the commitments you make.

Fayzali Idizoda, the Chairman of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Majlisi Oli of Tajikistan: 

– Neutrality in the modern world, which has a history of more than 370 years, is not only a refusal to participate in tense, conflict-ridden processes but also a universally recognized instrument for strengthening peace, sustainable development and security. Undoubtedly, the essence of the policy of neutrality is currently a strategy aimed at preserving international relations. Neutrality as an exemplary instrument is of great importance, especially in conditions of geopolitical instability. 

We, the members of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, as representatives of our peoples, are obliged to promote a peace-loving policy and parliamentary diplomacy that contributes to reducing global tensions, developing an inclusive society, and protecting human rights and freedoms.

The Group of Friends of Neutrality can play a key role in shaping the international agenda, an environment in which diplomacy, especially parliamentary diplomacy, respect for state sovereignty and mutual understanding become mechanisms for real influence.

Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Chairperson of the Senate of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

– I believe that neutrality may serve the achievement of peace on the planet, and mutual respect – a powerful tool in strengthening dialogue and trust. As Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, and as Founding Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers' Conference (ISC), I have consistently advocated for inter-parliamentary diplomacy as a bridge between nations. The theme of this important meeting in Ashgabat—"Interparliamentary dialogue – an important tool for ensuring peace and trust in the world"—is evidence of this. 

Our parliamentary exchanges with Turkmenistan and other member countries of the group have reaffirmed our shared commitment to reasonable peace and development. Parliaments reflect the aspirations of the people and the conscious of the nations. By influencing negotiations, they can lead to the achievement of priority humanitarian outcomes. I wholeheartedly support the Group of Friends of Neutrality in its efforts to identify concrete steps for cooperation. In this way, we can achieve positive results in the name of universal human interests.    

Tanzila Narbayeva, the Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan: 

– For many years Turkmenistan has remained a consistent supporter of the principles of neutrality, dialogue and peace, and its experience has become an inspiring example for the entire region. 

In modern conditions, parliaments are also playing an increasingly important role in strengthening peace, trust, and justice in the interests of peoples, becoming an effective instrument for dialogue, mutual understanding, and uniting efforts for the sake of a common future. The Parliament of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with neighboring countries, pays special attention to the development of parliamentary diplomacy as a crucial mechanism for strengthening peace and mutual understanding.

The Group of Friends of Neutrality has significant potential in strengthening trust and developing dialogue. We can and must use it as an effective platform for sharing experience, promoting joint initiatives, and supporting international law and the principle of sovereign equality of states.

In this regard, having created a solid and constructive foundation for our dialogue, it is necessary to ensure the continuous and sustainable nature of cooperation; to establish within this format an exchange of experience in promoting legislative initiatives aimed at solving the most relevant issues facing our societies; to expand the participation of parliaments in monitoring the fulfillment of international obligations, strengthen mechanisms of parliamentary oversight, and increase the effectiveness of the initiatives of the Group of Friends of Neutrality; and to more actively develop youth and women's parliamentary diplomacy, giving it an increasingly significant role in strengthening dialogue and cooperation.

I am confident that the proposals and recommendations developed following today's meeting will become an important contribution to strengthening trust, stability, and sustainable development for the benefit of our countries.

Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People’s Republic of China:

Since its founding more than five years ago, the Group of Friends of Neutrality has been dedicated to protecting and promoting principles essential to humanity. Over the past period, it has become an effective platform for allying countries to develop mutual understanding and trust, relationships and cooperation, and deepen comprehensive experience.

This year, Turkmenistan celebrates the 30th Anniversary at international level of its recognized Permanent Neutrality.

2025 is also the year declared by the United Nations as the «International Year of Peace and Trust. »

Our country supports Turkmenistan in its commitment to a policy of Permanent Neutrality and wishes Turkmenistan great success in hosting the international forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust in December.

Natalya Kochanova, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus:

-Peace and dialogue are two important concepts, directly addressing today and the future.

Parliamentary diplomacy has enormous potential to strengthening inter-civilizational dialogue, which is especially important in the context of the complex development of a multipolar, even just world order.

We, members of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, must promote these key principles in multilateral international parliamentary forums.

Our Group of Friends of Neutrality has enormous potential to defend and strengthen multi-polarity; to create a just, sustainable, and indivisible security system; and to ensure the inviolability of the norms and principles of international law. The Council of the Republic is open to cooperation with all parliaments of the Group of Friends of Neutrality and is interested in further strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation on international platforms and on a bilateral basis.

Valentina Matvienko, Chairperson of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, Chairperson of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation:

On behalf of the CIS Inter-parliamentary Assembly and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, I would like to emphasize that the Group of Friends of Neutrality is an important format of dialogue to legislators on current issues on the international agenda. I express my sincere gratitude to the organizers of the second meeting our Turkmen friends, «Inter-parliamentary Dialogue: An important tool for Ensuring Peace and Trust in the world», who are widely celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Neutrality. Russia supports Turkmenistan's wise policies, which serve the sake of peace and stability. The delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation will actively participate in the International Forum, which hold in Ashgabat in December.

In contemporary conditions needed united efforts, parliamentary diplomacy plays a special role, ensuring sustainable development for all stakeholders. Symbolically, the inter-parliamentary forum of Central Asian countries and Russia has launched in neutral Turkmenistan. Its second meeting is currently preparing by the support of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Honorable Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. Thanks to such active platforms, the policy of Neutrality is now taking on new meaning and is accumulating with new international initiatives. These initiatives announced by the Esteemed President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the plenary session of the 80th Anniversary session of the UN General Assembly.

Dunyagozel Gulmanova, the Chairperson of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan:

At the initiative of Turkmenistan, the United Nations adopted a number of Resolutions on strengthening peace and security, the importance of dialogue and the principles of neutrality in achieving mutual trust, and the creation of energy and transport transit corridors. The declaration of 2025 as the «International Year of Peace and Trust» at the initiative of Turkmenistan demonstrates broad support for our country's humanitarian State policy.

The Esteemed President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov initiated the inclusion of a special item on the Agenda of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, «Neutrality for Peace and Security» and also proposed to consider the draft Resolution « The Role and Importance of the Policy of Neutrality in Maintaining and Strengthening International Peace, Security and Sustainable Development». Turkmenistan's initiative to hold consultations under the auspices of the UN to establish a Mediation Chamber for Peace will facilitate the effective use of the potential of neutral states for peace negotiations and conflict resolution. The Assembly also put forward an initiative to hold a World Summit on a Culture of Peace and Trust. The development of a global Code of International Trust will be one of the main tasks of the summit and is a universal basis for jointly addressing global issues has noted. Turkmenistan's initiative to declare 2028 the Year of International Law at the 80th Anniversary session of the UN General Assembly will be an important step in strengthening the international legal foundations for peace and cooperation.

Turkmenistan, committed to the high ideals of humanism, the principles of democratic development, and a contemporary legal society, is making efforts to strengthen the legislative framework for its policy of permanent neutrality. Recently adopted Constitutional Law of Turkmenistan «On the Legal Foundations of the Policy of Peace and Trust of Neutral Turkmenistan» sets out the philosophy of «Dialogue is a guarantee of Peace», humanity, preventive diplomacy, parliamentary diplomacy, the Group of Friends of Neutrality, international cooperation, which are the main principles of the policy of Peace and Trust of our Permanently Neutral country, as well as the norms of the priority directions of the domestic and foreign policy of our State.

The Law states that in Turkmenistan recognizes the individual as the highest value of society and the State, the priority in resolving humanitarian issues in international relations is to utilize the capabilities of the Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Charitable Foundation for Assistance to Children in Need of Guardianship.

The adoption of this Constitutional Law demonstrates that Turkmenistan’s experience is a model for other States. This will also contribute to elevating the international legal framework for our country's public policy, focused on universal human interests, to a new level, and to the implementation of a policy of Peace and Trust for Neutral Turkmenistan, as well as its improvement.

In these days, the holding of multifaceted events and consultations that unite nations, bring countries closer together, and facilitate the search for positive solutions to global issues is an example.

The meeting of the Heads of Parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality makes a significant contribution to strengthening Peace and Trust on a global scale and uniting efforts to improve the work of the representative legislative body.

Dialogue in this format will become a good platform for putting forward effective proposals for solving the most pressing problems of our time, strengthening cooperation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, protecting universal human values, ensuring human rights and freedoms, gender equality, motivating youth, achieving environmental well-being, and introducing new technologies. It will also be significant to support the activities of our countries in these areas through parliamentary diplomacy and the exchange of experience in parliamentary and legislative activities.

On October 8, 2025, the second meeting of the Heads of Parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, entitled «Interparliamentary Dialogue — an Important Tool for Ensuring Peace and Trust in the World» was held in the Mejlis of Turkmenistan. Heads of the Parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Council of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, the United Nations Missions in Turkmenistan, and the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.

It is worth noting that more than 25 states have joined the Friends of Neutrality Group established in 2020 at the initiative of Turkmenistan. The work of this group aimed to promoting consistent cooperation at the international level, in particular within the framework of the UN, practical use of the peace-building potential of states based on the principles of neutrality, prevention of conflicts, elimination of their causes and consequences, and solution of humanitarian issues.

In this regard, the participants of the meeting highly appreciated the role of our country in promoting effective international cooperation and actively using the tools to strengthen global peace and security. As noted, Turkmenistan's Neutrality is widely recognized as a tool for stabilizing the situation at the regional and global levels, positively influencing the content and directions of cooperation between States and international organizations in resolving many political, economic, humanitarian, and environmental issues. The United Nations is our country's close partner in successfully implementing missions aimed at ensuring peace.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality and the 80th Anniversary of the founding of the UN. This opens a new stage for the further development of strategic cooperation between our country and the world's largest international organization. In this regard, it was noted that the remarkable year was declared the «The International Year of Peace and Trust» at the initiative of our country in accordance with the relevant UN Resolution. In this year, which is full of historical events, a Resolution entitled «The Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan» adopted, which reaffirms our country's Neutrality unanimously supported by the world community.

Consistently implementing a foreign policy based on the principles of positive neutrality, Turkmenistan pays great attention to the development of inter-parliamentary relations, which are of great importance in strengthening friendly relations between States and nations, effective international and regional cooperation in the interests of common well-being. In this regard, it is necessary to emphasize the significant importance of the views of Turkmenistan at the 80th Anniversary session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Among them are specific proposals to ensuring world peace and security, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, expanding international cooperation in areas such as energy, transport, ecology, climate change, and the humanitarian system. Turkmenistan advocates for the strengthening of international law, the improvement of the international regulatory framework, and the effectiveness of the implementation of UN Conventions, Treaties, Agreements, and other multilateral documents. In this regard, the initiative put forward by the Head of Our State from the high tribune of the UN to declare 2028 the «Year of International Law» will open a new stage in strengthening the international legal foundations of peace and cooperation.

The participants of the meeting exchanged views on the role and contribution of the Group of Friends of Neutrality in promoting these initiatives that take into account the common interests. As they emphasized, inter-parliamentary dialogue is an effective tool for strengthening trust, developing diplomacy and finding joint solutions to global challenges. Representing the peoples, parliamentarians are able to shape and further develop the political environment that affects peace, social harmony, and sustainable development. The Group of Friends of Neutrality and inter-parliamentary cooperation have become the most convenient model for implementing tasks in this area, a more balanced form of the content of our country's foreign policy.

At the end of the meeting, the participants expressed their gratitude to the Turkmen partners for organizing the forum, noting that this meeting established favorable atmosphere for a comprehensive discussion of the experience and results achieved in this area, as well as conditions for developing new and more effective tools for cooperation on important issues of international agenda.

On October 8, 2025 the second meeting of the heads of parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality began its work in a hybrid format in the Mejlis of Turkmenistan on the topic «Inter-parliamentary dialogue – a key instrument for ensuring peace and trust at the global level».

The regular meeting is attended by heads of legislative bodies of various countries, representatives of international and regional organizations and deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, media representatives.

The important role of the second meeting of the heads of parliaments of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality, held during the International Year of Peace and Trust, when celebrated the 30th anniversary of recognition of Turkmenistan’s permanent Neutrality, in informing the international community of the activities of these countries, carried out to strengthen peace and security throughout the world and promoting parliamentary cooperation in this direction, was discussed.

Сегодня Президент Сердар Бердымухамедов принял министра иностранных и европейских дел Республики Хорватия Гордана Грлич-Радмана.

Выразив признательность за уделённое для встречи время, гость отметил, что Хорватия высоко ценит дружественные отношения с Туркменистаном. Пользуясь возможностью, Г.Грлич-Радман передал тёплые слова приветствия Президента Хорватии Зорана Милановича и Премьер-министра страны Андрея Пленковича на имя главы Туркменистана и Национального Лидера туркменского народа.

Радушно поприветствовав гостя, глава государства адресовал ответные приветствия и наилучшие пожелания руководству дружественной страны, выразив уверенность, что нынешний визит министра иностранных и европейских дел Республики Хорватия станет значимым шагом в расширении двустороннего диалога и придаст новый импульс последовательному развитию взаимовыгодного межгосударственного сотрудничества.

Как отмечалось, Туркменистан, исходя из международно признанного статуса постоянного нейтралитета, поддерживает миролюбивые отношения со всеми странами мира. Особое внимание при этом уделяется активному сотрудничеству с международными организация­ми, в частности, с ООН и её структурными подразделениями, а также поддержке инициатив по продвижению между членами мирового сообщества доверия, взаимопонимания и устойчивого развития на планете.

Подчеркнув продуктивный характер взаимодействия с европейскими странами, Президент Сердар Бердымухамедов отметил, что сотрудничество между Туркменистаном и Республикой Хорватия опирается на принципы дружбы, равноправия и обоюдной выгоды.

Как подчёркивалось, политико-дипломатические отношения между двумя государствами носят активную динамику: наглядный тому пример – соавторство Республики Хорватия в конструктивных инициативах Туркменистана, продвигаемых на полях ООН. Туркменское государство в свою очередь поддержало Хорватию на выборах в международные организации.

В рамках нынешнего визита руководителя внешнеполитического ведомства дружественной страны намечено очередное заседание туркмено-хорватской Межправительственной комиссии по экономическому сотрудничеству, на котором будут рассмотрены нынешнее состояние и перспективы развития межгосударственного сотрудничества по линии торговли, экономики, энергетики, транспорта и по другим приоритетным направлениям, отметил глава государства.

Состоится также бизнес-форум с участием представителей деловых кругов двух стран. Подчеркнув значимость предстоящего мероприятия в контексте налаживания прямого диалога между предпринимателями, обсуждения совместных проектов и выявления новых направлений взаимовыгодного партнёрства, Президент Сердар Бердымухамедов пожелал его успешного и результативного проведения.

Отметив заинтересованность Туркменистана в последовательном развитии двустороннего партнёрства в политической, экономической, торговой и культурно-гуманитарной сферах, глава государства подтвердил готовность нашей страны рассмотреть конкретные предложения хорватской стороны в данных областях.

В завершение встречи Президент Сердар Бердымухамедов и министр иностранных и европейских дел Республики Хорватия Гордан Грлич-Радман обменялись взаимными добрыми пожеланиями, выразив уверенность в дальнейшем успешном продолжении налаженного продуктивного межгосударственного диалога.