By: Naveed Ahmad Khan
Islamabad :Turkmenistan celebrates 25th anniversary of status of Permanent Neutrality. This year Turkmenistan widely celebrates the 25th anniversary of adopting the status of Permanent Neutrality. At the initiative of the President of Turkmenistan, the Mejlis (parliament) of Turkmenistan passed a resolution placing the year 2020 under the motto “Turkmenistan – Homeland of Neutrality”. On 11-12 December 2020 International Conference «Policy of Neutrality and its Importance in Ensuring International Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development» will take place in Ashgabat.
In this connection Embassy of Turkmenistan and Naqashee Art Gallery 2nd Bexon Pakistan organized an photo & painting exhibition at Marriott hotel Islamabad. Exhibition starting today and will be continued on December 18 2020. Julien Harneis, RCO, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan was the chief guest & host was the Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Turkmenistan Atadjan Movlamov. Ambassador of Belarus to Pakistan Andrei Ermolovich, High commissioner of Brunei Darussalam & Ali Alizada Ambassador,Republic of Azerbaijan also present on the occasion.
As Article 2 of the UN Charter obligates member states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and to refrain from the threat, or the use of force in their relations, the General Assembly reaffirmed those obligations in its resolution 71/275.
The resolution also underlined that some states’ national policies of neutrality can contribute to the strengthening of international peace and security and play an important role in developing mutually beneficial relations among countries of the world.
Recognizing that such national policies of neutrality are aimed at promoting the use of preventive diplomacy, which is a core function of the United Nations and occupies a central place among the functions of the Secretary-General, the General Assembly decided to declare 12 December the International Day of Neutrality, and called for marking the day by holding events aimed at enhancing public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.
In the face of political tension and escalating crises, it is of great importance to uphold the principles of sovereignty and the sovereign equality of States, territorial integrity, self-determination and non-intervention in the internal affairs of any State, and to defend, promote and encourage the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security are not endangered.
Therefore, the policy of neutrality contributes to the strengthening of peace and security in relevant regions and at the global level and plays an important role in developing peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the countries of the world.
It is worth noting that the policy of neutrality a key factor for providing conditions and building a platform for peaceful negotiations is also closely interconnected with and based on the tools of preventive diplomacy, such as early warning and prevention of conflict, mediation, good offices, fact-finding missions, negotiation, the use of special envoys, informal consultations, peacebuilding and targeted development activities.
Hence, preventive diplomacy is a core function of the United Nations and is central to the role of the United Nations Secretary-General, including the special political missions of the United Nations and the good offices of the Secretary-General in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
On February 2, 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted without a vote resolution 71/275 introduced by Turkmenistan, recognized by the UN as a permanently neutral state since 12 December 1995 which noted the link between the preservation of peace and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and declared 12 December as the International Day of Neutrality.