The State Committee of Turkmenistan for Television, Radio Broadcasting and Cinematography hosted a virtual international media forum on 16 September in Ashgabat. This media forum was organized in partnership with Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) on the occasion of 25th anniversary of the permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan.

Mr. Ibrahim Eren, Acting President of ABU and Chairman of the Turkish Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation (TRT), said that from the very beginning Turkmenistan has chosen this political course to promote global peace and stability, and to reinforce the importance of coexistence and sustainable development.

“Turkmenistan’s neutrality has recommended itself as an actual mechanism of establishment of fruitful cooperation in many fields including the media and strengthening of friendly and neighboring relations,” Eren added.

In his speech, Javad Mottaghi, Secretary General of ABU, said Turkmen neutrality became a game changer in diplomacy and became the basis for a new concept of cooperation and preservation of peace.

Also speaking at the forum, Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO of  Prasar Bharati, said Turkmenistan’s neutrality is crucial in the international arena. Mr. Vempati said that the policy pursued by the country’s leader “fully coincides” with the course of strengthening good neighborliness in the region and globally.

Nedra Weerasinghe, Group Director , MTV Channel (Ptv) Limited (MBC/MTV) Sri Lanka said that Neutrality will help to consolidate the position of the fairway in International forums that play an important role in protecting values​​and common interests of humanity.

The Chairman of the National TV and Radio Company of Uzbekistan, Alisher  Khadzhaev, stated that the Forum, reaffirms the aspirations of Turkmenistan to further strengthen stability and peace, socio-economic prosperity, as well as the development of diplomatic relations with the countries of the world and good neighborly relations in the region.

The event was held in Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat and attended by government officials, diplomats and over 300 international journalists.

On Dec. 12, 1995, the UN General Assembly adopted the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan resolution unanimously.

In July 1992, Turkmenistan declared positive neutrality as part of its foreign policy at the Helsinki Summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.