The first meeting of the heads of parliaments of the member countries of the Friends of Neutrality Group was held in Ashgabat

The Mejlis of Turkmenistan hosted the first meeting of chairmen of parliaments of the member states of the Group of Friends of Neutrality on "The role of parliamentary cooperation in strengthening peace and dialog", the online edition reports "TurkmenPortal".

The multilateral meeting was attended by speakers of parliaments from around the world, as well as heads and representatives of international and regional organizations.

It was noted that Turkmenistan's parliamentary diplomacy is successfully implemented within the framework of the status of permanent neutrality. It is carried out by establishing bilateral and multilateral ties with the parliaments of other States, participating in the work of international parliamentary organizations and associations, creating interparliamentary friendship groups and holding joint events.

This is an important tool to support the international initiatives of our neutral State. In the course of the meeting the video messages of the Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as well as the heads of foreign parliaments were sounded. It was emphasized that in the current circumstances the meeting of the speakers of the member countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality is especially relevant and in demand.

It was noted that the main advantage of parliamentary diplomacy is the opportunity for dialog between direct representatives of citizens. This allows for detailed discussion of topics important to people, finding new points of contact and putting forward initiatives that will be supported by the citizens of our countries.

The speakers emphasized that from the very beginning they actively supported Turkmenistan's initiative to establish the Group of Friends of Neutrality and have been participating in its work since its establishment in 2020.

Over the years, this format has proved to be an effective platform for multilateral dialogue on the practical application of the principles of neutrality to prevent conflicts and their consequences.

Welcoming Turkmenistan's initiatives to develop inter-parliamentary ties, the speakers praised the country's role in promoting constructive international interaction. The discussion once again confirmed that Turkmenistan's rich experience in implementing the model of permanent neutrality is in the center of attention of the world community.

Readiness was expressed for close interaction with the UN in legislative activities and exchange of experience in promoting the principles of neutrality and dialog to achieve peace, security and sustainable development.

The results of the first meeting of the Heads of Parliaments of the countries of the Group of Friends of Neutrality were reflected in the adopted Final Document.