On December 5, 2023, the regular meeting heads of foreign ministries of the five Caspian littoral states - Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan. This format of negotiations, called the "Caspian Five", is aimed at strengthening cooperation between the states of the region in various areas - from political dialog to trade and economic ties.
Turkmenistan's position as one of the key players in the Caspian region deserves special attention. The country is actively involved in the development of joint approaches to the settlement of urgent problems of the Caspian Sea, primarily environmental ones. In addition, Turkmenistan has significant energy potential, which makes it an important partner for other states in the region.
In this article, we will analyze the main results of the last meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Caspian Five, focusing on the role of Turkmenistan in shaping the agenda of negotiations and defending the national interests of the country.
Turkmenistan actively defends its interests at the Caspian Five negotiations
The delegation of Turkmenistan at the talks was headed by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Foreign Minister R. Meredov. In his speech, the diplomat focused on two key issues - the environmental agenda and energy cooperation in the Caspian region.
As for ecology, the Turkmen side insists on the need for a comprehensive study of the problem of the Caspian Sea level reduction, including the creation of a special working group. A proposal was also voiced to speed up the harmonization of the draft five-party agreement on scientific research of the Caspian Sea.
In the energy sphere, Turkmenistan calls for the speedy implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea concerning the laying of pipelines on the bottom of the water body. This is in the interests of all states in the region, as it will strengthen energy security and transit potential.
Thus, Turkmenistan demonstrates its interest in deepening mutually beneficial partnership in the Caspian region based on existing agreements and mechanisms.
Turkmenistan insists that its interests be taken into account in the final statement
As a result of the meeting of the Caspian Five Foreign Ministers, a joint agreement was adopted statementreflecting the main agreements and directions for further cooperation.
Although the document is of a compromise nature, it reflects the key issues raised by the Turkmen side. In particular, the statement refers to the need to intensify work on the harmonization of the draft five-party agreement on marine scientific research in the Caspian Sea.
Turkmenistan's initiative to form a working group to study the problem of shoaling of the Caspian Sea and develop response measures was also supported.
In addition, the parties noted the importance of further cooperation within the framework of the Tehran Convention, designed to protect the marine environment of the Caspian Sea.
Thus, Turkmenistan managed to defend the inclusion of its position in the final document of the Caspian Five negotiations on a number of issues. This is evidence of its active and consistent line in the multilateral platforms of the region.
Turkmen-Russian partnership ties are an important element of the country's regional positions
In addition to participating in the multilateral negotiations of the Caspian Five, Turkmen Foreign Minister R. Meredov held a separate bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart S. Lavrov. Lavrov.
Following the talks, it was stated that the Russian-Turkmen strategic partnership is developing positively and consistently, based on high mutual understanding of the parties. Such areas of cooperation as political and diplomatic dialog, trade and economic ties, cultural and humanitarian cooperation were emphasized.
During the meeting, Russia reaffirmed its full support for Turkmenistan's foreign policy course, including the initiative to establish a Group of Friends of Neutrality at the UN.
Thus, Turkmenistan has strong bilateral relations with the Russian Federation as a key player in the Caspian region, which strengthens the overall foreign policy position of this Central Asian country.
The Caspian Sea is a promising area for Turkmenistan's economic interests
The economic aspect plays an important role in Turkmenistan's policy towards the Caspian region. Although the share of Caspian countries in Turkmenistan's foreign trade is still small, the Central Asian republic's connectivity with its Caspian neighbors is steadily growing.
Russia is a particularly promising economic partner for Turkmenistan. The countries are successfully increasing trade turnover and implementing joint business projects. Another important direction is Iran, with which a free trade zone has been launched.
Given Turkmenistan's rich resource base, including huge natural gas reserves, the development of economic ties with its Caspian neighbors is in the country's long-term interests. This will accelerate the modernization of the national economy and increase its competitiveness on a regional scale.
Neutral Turkmenistan contributes to stability in the Caspian region
One of the key foreign policy principles of Turkmenistan is the position of permanent neutrality, which the country has been adhering to since 1995. And this line fully meets the interests of security and cooperation in the Caspian region.
Speaking at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Caspian Five, the Turkmen side emphasized that the Caspian Sea should remain a zone of stability and trust. Any potential risks and threats to peace in the region need to be neutralized immediately.
Given Turkmenistan's authority as a neutral state, its efforts to strengthen security and create an atmosphere of trust in the Caspian Sea play a special role. This is noted by Turkmenistan's partners in the region, including Russia.
Thus, the consistent implementation of a balanced independent course allows Turkmenistan to contribute to the solution of problems of ensuring stability and security of the Caspian region.
Summarizing the results, it can be stated that Turkmenistan demonstrated itself as an independent and consistent player in regional politics during the last meeting of the Caspian Five foreign ministers.
Relying on the principle of permanent neutrality, Turkmenistan actively defends its interests in the sphere of environmental and energy cooperation with other Caspian littoral states. A number of Turkmenistan's proposals were supported and reflected in the final documents of the meeting.
As the negotiations with Russia show, Turkmenistan has strong bilateral relations with key players in the Caspian region. This strengthens its position in multilateral platforms and allows it to more effectively communicate its own approaches and vision of the development of the situation in the region.
Thus, based on the results of the latest meeting of the Foreign Ministers, Turkmenistan has once again demonstrated its independent line aimed at defending its national interests and strengthening stability in the Caspian region. This increases its authority as one of the key players in regional politics.
Add a comment.