Turkmenistan Prioritizes Energy Cooperation with Turkic States

Turkmenistan’s Speaker of the People’s Council, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, has said that energy cooperation is a priority for his country in relations with members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

The statement was made during the 15th session of the OTS Council of Elders, which took place in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, on March 11-12, as reported by the pro-government news website Orient.tm.

“Turkmenistan considers it necessary to create an effective, reliable, self-sufficient model of cooperation in the overall unstable conditions of the global energy markets. This will meet the growing energy needs of our countries. Turkmenistan, one of the largest producers of energy resources, is ready to supply them to brotherly countries, increasing their volumes,” former President Berdimuhamedow said.

He added that his country currently exports electricity to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and has “good potential” to export electricity and natural gas to Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Türkiye.

“We are ready to continue helping brotherly countries ensure energy security. In the future, it will be possible to create a permanently operating comprehensive energy transmission system. In this case, the Turkic states will be able to fully benefit from the advantages of geographical proximity, resource potential, and means of supply,” Berdimuhamedow noted.

He also called on the Turkic countries to form a unified transport strategy for the revival of the Great Silk Road in the new format of the “Turkic Belt,” saying that “the Turkic states’ cooperation has prioritized the transportation sector.”

“We must start developing a single transportation strategy. The consolidation of efforts will enable us to achieve agreements with our international partners and large investors in this sector.”

In the final communiqué, the Council meeting’s participants stressed the importance of the strategy of reviving the Great Silk Road with the key role of the Turkic Belt, which had a tremendous positive impact on the development of mankind.

In the document, the parties also noted the need to coordinate the efforts of the Turkic states within the framework of universal and regional organizations and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening the role of the OTS in addressing global and regional issues.

Earlier, Berdimuhamedov announced that his country would probably be accepted as a full member of the OTS during a summit to be held in Turkmenistan this year.

Turkmenistan joined the OTS as an observer country in 2021. The OTS was founded in 2009, and currently consists of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan. The organization aims to promote comprehensive cooperation among the Turkic nations.

Turkmenistan is known for its permanent neutrality policy. According to its neutral status and the obligations reflected in its law on neutrality, Turkmenistan does not participate in military blocs and alliances, and does not allow the creation of military bases on its territory or its use by other countries for military purposes.