North Atlantic Treaty Organization
November 10, 2014
NATO and Turkmenistan consult on regional security and enhanced cooperation
A NATO delegation visited Ashgabat, Turkmenistan from 27 to 30 October for meetings with government authorities. They also took part in events to commemorate the country’s 23rd Independence Day. The visit also marked the 20th anniversary of the Alliance’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) Programme, of which Turkmenistan is a founder member.
NATO Liaison Officer in Central Asia Alexander Vinnikov and officer for Turkmenistan at NATO Headquarters, Steffen Elgersma, met with Turkmenistan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister, Vepa Hajiev. They discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation within the PfP framework and regional security developments of mutual interest, including Afghanistan and Ukraine.
The NATO delegation then met senior representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Defence, Executive Office of the President, Committee on Emergency Situations and State Border Service, followed by interviews with national television.
The NATO officials also met with representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan and the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the European Union (EU) Liaison Office in Turkmenistan, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Centre in Ashgabat.
They then briefed Allied embassies on their visit at an event organised by the United States Embassy, which is the NATO Contact Point Embassy in Turkmenistan.
During a visit to the Institute of International Relations in Ashgabat, the NATO representatives met with the Rector and senior staff to discuss future public diplomacy cooperation opportunities. They also presented copies of NATO publications in English, Russian and Turkmen to the Institute’s library.
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