In the first years of its independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Turkmenistan gave priority to taking steps to consolidate its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unitary structure. In this context, although it was the global powers’ wish for Central Asia to be unstable, Turkmenistan confirmed the “Permanent Neutrality Status” before the United Nations (UN) on 12 December 1995 by putting forward an approach that prioritizes peace, security, and prosperity in the Central Asian geography. Undoubtedly, this development has made Ashgabat the center of pre-emptive diplomacy in the face of crises, and Turkmenistan has acted with an approach that sees dialogue as a guarantee of peace, especially after President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov came to power.[1]
This approach did not cause Turkmenistan to be isolated from the international community; on the contrary, Ashgabat has become a respected member of the international community both with its projects that prioritize regional cooperation and with its relations with international organizations. In this context, after President Serdar Berdimuhamedov came to power, a dynamic process is observed in Turkmenistan’s foreign policy that will ensure the country to be highly regarded, and contribute to the regional security, cooperation, and welfare environment. Most particularly, the developments in October 2022 are significant in terms of revealing that Ashgabat is in favor of deepening its relations with Astana and Tashkent.
The first development is President Berdimuhamedov’s visit to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on 15-16 October 2022, where he met with his Kazakh counterpart, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Following the meeting between the two leaders, the 2022-2024 Bilateral Cooperation Program and ten different memoranda of understanding were signed. The signed papers are essential in terms of showing that the relations in sectors such as finance, energy, tourism, transportation, space, and chemistry will be deepened.[2] In addition, it was explained that a consensus was reached on the opening of ferry services between the ports of “Turkmenbashi-Kuryk-Makhachkala.”[3] This means that Caspian-centered collaborations will also deepen.
Meanwhile, President Berdimuhamedov hosted the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on October 22, 2022. During this visit, the opening ceremonies of the Tashkent Park, which was built in Ashgabat to symbolize the friendship between the two countries, and the construction of the Khwarazm-Dashoguz border trade zone were held.[4] Undoubtedly, this development reveals that the countries are determined to develop the strategic partnership set forth during President Berdimuhamedov’s visit to Tashkent on 14-15 July 2022.[5]
As it can be understood, President Berdimuhamedov is taking concrete steps to improve his country’s relations with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which is positively reflected in Central Asia-based integration processes. Thus, relations develop with a perspective that prioritizes mutual interests with a multilateral, multidimensional, and balance-based approach in accordance with the foreign policy principles of the regional states.
It can be predicted that this cooperation will have two important outcomes. The first of these is related to the Organization of Turkic States. During the Istanbul Summit held on 12 November 2021, the Organization decided to deepen the integration by developing the bilateral relations of all member states. Undoubtedly, when this decision is taken together with the idea that Turkmenistan will receive full accession to the organization at the Leaders’ Summit to be held in Samarkand in November 2022, it can be predicted that the dynamism that President Berdimuhamedov has established in Turkmenistan’s foreign policy will positively reflect on integration processes based on the Organization of the Turkic States as well.
Secondly, it can be said that Turkmenistan has made initiatives to bring efficiency to the Middle Corridor through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan-based collaborations. Of course, this situation should be evaluated with an eye to the projects carried out under the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway deal. Therefore, it is observed that the rapprochement on the Ashgabat-Astana-Tashkent line also addresses Bishkek and Beijing.
In this sense, it can be said that the Middle Corridor, which starts from China, traverses Central Asia, and reaches the Caucasus and Europe, will continue to be the prominent transit and energy route. Thus, the interaction between Europe and Asia and thus between the East and the West will be strengthened.
As a result, President Berdimuhamedov has made important initiatives in terms of bilateral relations, the Organization of Turkic States and the Middle Corridor through the contacts he made in October 2022. Ensuring regional cooperation, stability, security, development, and prosperity, which is the most important objective of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy, constitutes the ground for these initiatives. This way, both the organization and the Middle Corridor are welcoming a period of significant rise through relations that are based on mutual respect within the framework of the principle of sovereign equality of states, and that consider dialogue as the guarantee of peace.
[1] Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, “Turkmenistan, the Address of Continuity in the Search for Peace: “Dialogue is the Guarantee of Peace”, ANKASAM, https://www.ankasam.org/turkmenistan-the-address-of-continuity-in-the-search-for-peace-dialogue-is-the-guarantee-of-peace-1/?lang=en, (Date of Accession: 27.10.2022).
[2] “Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan Adopt Comprehensive Program of Cooperation”, Prime Minister.kz., https://primeminister.kz/en/news/kazakhstan-and-turkmenistan-adopt-comprehensive-program-of-cooperation-1794242, (Date of Accession: 27.10.2022).
[3] Ibid.
[4] “С.Бердымухамедов и Мирзи .ев открыли парк “ Ташкент ” и дали старт строительству зоны приграничной торговли”, Heronikatm , https://www.hronikatm.com/2022/10/tashkent-park-opening/, (Date of Accession: 27.10.2022).
[5] Perizat Risbekkızı, “A New Level of Strategic Partnership: Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan Relations”, ANKASAM, https://www.ankasam.org/a-new-level-of-strategic-partnership-uzbekistan-turkmenistan-relations/?lang=en, (Date of Accession: 27.10.2022).
