On 12 December 2025, Turkmenistan together with the entire international community will celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the international recognition of the status of a permanently Neutral state.
The past three decades have proved the correctness of choice in favor of a neutral model of foreign policy, its full compliance with the genuine interests of the people of Turkmenistan, long-term objectives and plans for the socio-economic development of the country, the goals of equal and mutually beneficial international cooperation and the regional agenda of the United Nations.
Over these years, Turkmenistan has earned well-deserved respect from the international community and gained a reputation of a reliable, responsible partner that strictly upholds its commitments.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Turkmenistan’s neutrality is an asset not only for the Turkmen people but for the entire international community. On 12 December 1995, the United Nations General Assembly, represented by its 185 member states at that time, unanimously adopted resolution 50/80 “Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan”. Guided by the goals and objectives of the UN Charter and being interested in establishing international peace and stability, the UN General Assembly agreed to support, recognize and guarantee Turkmenistan’s neutrality. The resolution emphasizes that the UN “expressing the hope that the status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan will contribute to strengthening peace and security in the region, recognizes and supports the status of permanent neutrality declared by Turkmenistan.”
A few days later, Turkmenistan adopted a constitutional law and implemented procedures that made it possible to frame the decision of the international community as an internal status. The Constitutional Law on the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan and the Concept of Foreign Policy of Turkmenistan as a Neutral State adopted by the Mejlis on 27 December 1995 formulated the commitments voluntarily assumed by Turkmenistan in pursuance of its neutral status, including:
– not to join military blocs and alliances, as well as interstate alliances that imply collective responsibility of their participants,
– not to start wars or cause military conflicts, or take steps that could lead to them in one way or another,
– not to produce or distribute weapons of mass destruction,
– not to host military bases of other states on its territory,
– develop economic cooperation with other countries on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and consideration of the partner interests, ensure openness of its financial and economic space,
– facilitate the efforts of the international community in addressing economic challenges,
– not to exert economic pressure on other countries and not to join economic blocs against other states,
– recognize and respect the fundamental democratic rights and freedoms of man and citizen adopted by the international community.
By voluntarily and sovereignly assuming these commitments, Turkmenistan declared that they are permanent and, thereby, they once and for all define clear and unchangeable guidelines for Turkmenistan’s foreign and, in many respects, domestic policy.
The adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution was preceded by extensive and painstaking political and diplomatic work in various formats and numerous rounds of negotiations.
It was at the Summit of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in Helsinki on 10 July 1992 that Turkmenistan declared neutrality for the first time at the official international level as the foundation of its foreign policy and relations with other states. It was at the same forum that Turkmenistan outlined the basic objectives that it intends to follow in pursuing a neutral foreign policy.
It should be noted that a few months earlier, namely on 16 March 1992, the Mejlis of Turkmenistan passed the resolution “On the adoption of the policy of permanent positive neutrality of Turkmenistan”. It demonstrated Turkmenistan’s will and unwavering determination to firmly and consistently pursue a neutral foreign policy course.
This position was confirmed during the visits by the first President of Turkmenistan to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and a number of other countries. During the talks, their leaders expressed support for Turkmenistan’s neutral course.
After three years of following the stated commitments, Turkmenistan’s neutral foreign policy received its first official international recognition at the regional level in the final declaration of the third summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Islamabad on 15 March 1995.
On 20 October 1995, the status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan was supported in the final document of the Eleventh Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement that was held in Cartagena (Colombia).
On 12 December 1995, at a regular session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Turkmenistan’s neutrality was universally recognized by the unanimous adoption of the above-mentioned resolution, co-sponsored by 25 states. It should be noted that co-sponsors of the resolution included the USA, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan and T"urkiye.
On 27 December 1995, the Law “On Amendments and Supplements to the Constitution of Turkmenistan” and the Constitutional Law of Turkmenistan “On the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan” were adopted at the national level, and December 12 was declared a national holiday.
On 11 December 1996, the statement of the President of Turkmenistan in connection with the first anniversary of the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution “Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan” was circulated as an official document of the 51st session of the UN General Assembly, confirming Turkmenistan’s strict and perpetual compliance with all its international commitments arising from its neutral status.
Turkmenistan’s choice of neutrality was well founded. It was conditioned by historical, geopolitical and geoeconomic reasons, the desire of the young Turkmen state to ensure favorable external conditions for internal development and confidence that the emergence of a neutral, peace-loving state in an important geopolitical region would become a significant factor in the positive development of regional and international processes, meeting not only its own national interests but also the goals of achieving and maintaining peace, stability and security.
Based on its neutrality, with the support and trust of the international community represented by the United Nations, Turkmenistan has been making important contribution to the creation of an atmosphere of constructive good neighborliness in Central Asia and the Caspian Basin and initiating the formation of effective mechanisms of regional cooperation. This approach is designed to ensure favorable conditions for the economic and social development of the region, its successful integration into modern world economic relations and the implementation of sustainable development goals.
Turkmenistan’s neutral policy is a significant factor in regional security as an essential element of the global strategic balance. Together with its neighbors and in close cooperation with the United Nations, Turkmenistan is working to create mechanisms to prevent disputes and establish an atmosphere of mutual understanding, trust and predictability in Central Asia. It is no coincidence that the territory of neutral Turkmenistan has repeatedly been chosen as an acceptable venue for negotiations on many complex issues on the regional agenda.
As is known, in the mid to late 1990s, Turkmenistan’s neutral status was used by the international community represented by the UN to organize negotiations on the settlement of the civil conflict in Tajikistan and the inter-Afghan peace dialogue. Several rounds of these negotiations were held in Ashgabat with the participation of UN special representatives.
The decision of the United Nations General Assembly, with the support of all neighboring states, to open the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat in December 2007 was recognition of Turkmenistan’s important role in international peacekeeping, its authority and political and diplomatic potential. Turkmenistan perceived this as a great responsibility and at the same time as evidence of the growing confidence that the United Nations places on the country.
The UN General Assembly declaration of 12 December as the International Day of Neutrality in 2017 was a landmark and full of deep meaning event. The resolution adopted in this regard emphasizes the importance of the policy of neutrality in strengthening international peace and security and its role in the development of peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the countries of the world. The text of the document also stresses the importance of preventive diplomacy, which Turkmenistan has consistently and persistently promoted.
This way, the international community demonstrated full support for the foreign policy course pursued under the leadership of the country, confirmed the unconditional positive significance of neutrality as the most important factor in modern geopolitics, the constructive role of Turkmenistan in strengthening global peace, stability and security and implementing sustainable development goals.
It is clear that this task should be solved on a systemic basis, with supporting legal and institutional mechanisms. Acting in this logic in 2023, the President of Turkmenistan from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly put forward an initiative to develop a global security strategy.
It provides for inclusion of a number of areas of UN work, in particular, preventive diplomacy as a tool of conflict prevention and neutralization, using the potential of neutrality for peaceful, political and diplomatic settlement of disputes and contradictions, and restoring the culture of trusting dialogue. In this logic, Turkmenistan came up with the initiative to give neutral countries the status of priority partnership with the UN in the peacekeeping efforts of the Organization.
Turkmenistan is confident that neutrality, its principles and practical tools should be used by the international community much more extensively than at present. The potential of neutrality is enormous. It is not only a national model of foreign policy for a number of states that used it for bringing peace, good-neighborliness and well-being but also an effective platform for resolving emerging conflicts by peaceful means at the negotiating table.
It is in its neutral capacity that Turkmenistan is ready together with its partners to seek new approaches and ways of overcoming the challenges facing humanity. Relying on strategic cooperation with the United Nations and constructive, balanced and equal relations with other states, Turkmenistan is making every effort to achieve these goals.