On March 11, a gathering convened in Ashgabat as part of the 15th meeting of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, presided over by the National Leader of the Turkmen people and Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
Extending a warm welcome to all attendees on the historic and hospitable Turkmen soil, the National Leader conveyed sincere appreciation for the gracious invitation extended to participate in the latest session of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, as reported by Turkmen media sources.
Dear guests!
We are glad to see you all on the ancient and hospitable Turkmen land.
First of all, I express my gratitude to you for accepting the invitation to participate in the 15th meeting of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States.
Our meeting coincided with the first day of the holy month of Oraza, especially revered by Muslims all over the world and considered the most blessed.
This month is a time of celebration in the lives of people of high spiritual values - humanism, charity, kindness and moral purity. All this is important for the harmonious development of modern society, strengthening solidarity between peoples, and raising a worthy generation.
Taking this opportunity, I cordially congratulate you and the fraternal peoples of the Turkic states on the advent of the holy month of Oraza!
May the Almighty accept your prayers and good deeds!
Dear friends!
The motto of 2024 in Turkmenistan is “The Fount of the Mind of Magtymguly Fragi.”
The priceless legacy of Magtymguly Fragi occupies a large place in the hearts of people. His work made a significant contribution to the cultural and spiritual development of not only the Turkmen and Turkic peoples, but also all the peoples of the East, becoming an integral part of the treasury of world literature.
This year, we plan, together with partner states and international organizations, to hold a set of events at the national and international level aimed at expanding cultural and humanitarian interaction, which is one of the key vectors of international relations.
I would like to remind you that on the occasion of this significant date, the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) declared 2024 “The Year of the Great Poet and Thinker of the Turkic World – Magtymguly Fragi.”
In general, culture and creativity, having absorbed the philosophical and ideological values of their ancestors, serve as an important tool for bringing peoples closer together.
Of course, the current meeting will be a significant step in popularizing the work of the great son of the Turkmen people, Magtymguly Fragi, in the world and strengthening the ties of friendship and brotherhood of the Turkic peoples.
Dear people!
To ensure a high organizational level and fruitfulness of the current meeting held in Ashgabat, a lot of preparatory work has been done by the Secretariat of the Organization of Turkic States, the Council of Elders and member countries of the Organization of Turkic States.
During the upcoming meeting, we will exchange views on current issues of our time, as well as views on the activities of the Council for the future.
Taking this opportunity, I express my gratitude to the Chairman of the Council of Elders, dear brother Binali Yildirim, the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev and all members of the Council of Elders for their constant support, effective work and coordinated activities in preparation for the meeting.
Dear elders!
I would like to note that Turkmenistan always has great respect for the activities of the Organization of Turkic States and its structural divisions and is interested in cooperation.
In the foreign policy strategy of Turkmenistan, an important role is given to the development and strengthening of bilateral and multilateral interaction with the Turkic states.
The commonality of historical roots, culture, language and religion that goes back thousands of years binds our peoples, which in turn serves as an unshakable foundation for building up and deepening political-diplomatic, trade-economic and cultural-humanitarian relations.
As you know, on November 12, 2021, within the framework of the Summit held in the city of Istanbul of the Turkish Republic, with the support of all member countries, Turkmenistan received the status of an observer country in the Organization of Turkic States. This opened a new page for the development of cooperation in a multilateral format between our countries.
Currently, Turkmenistan is actively participating in the work of the Organization of Turkic States, and the possibility of becoming a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkic Countries is also being studied in detail.
Now we are holding the 15th meeting of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States in Ashgabat. The organization of such a representative event in our country, on the one hand, is an indicator of Turkmenistan’s commitment to close cooperation with the Turkic states, and on the other, a sign of great trust and great responsibility.
I express confidence that the issues discussed during the meeting and the decisions made will help determine the prospects for the development of not only the Council of Elders, but also the entire Organization of Turkic States.
Taking this opportunity, I wish successful work to the Council of Elders! I want to assure all of you that the Turkmen side will provide the necessary support in this.
Dear members of the Council of Elders!
Dear people!
Today we discussed the issues on the agenda of the meeting in the narrow format of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States.
If you don’t mind, I, in turn, would like to present some proposals for your consideration:
- I propose to establish the title of “Honorary Elder” of the Organization of Turkic States and a corresponding sign, taking into account the merits of the older generation in strengthening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood, unity and cohesion, and the formation of educated, hardworking youth.
- In order to widely publicize the activities of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States in the world, I consider it advisable to create an editorial office of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, in particular, in the future, publish a newspaper or magazine and open its website.
- Based on the results of the upcoming 15th meeting of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States, a draft Declaration has been prepared. Having presented this Declaration for your consideration, I propose to approve it. This document will give impetus to bringing our relations to a qualitatively new level and the implementation of great endeavors for the benefit of our peoples.
Dear people!
This concludes the meeting in the narrow format of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States.
Taking this opportunity, I wish you all good health, family well-being and new successes in noble activities!” said the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
