State News Agency of Turkmenistan

       The ceremony of signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) took place in the Turkmen capital. The representatives of the UN, the Executive Committee of IFAS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the heads of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Tajikistan accredited in our country, foreign and Turkmen journalist attended the ceremony, which was conducted in the office of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia.

       Pursuing the policy of constructive international cooperation Turkmenistan contributes actively to the efforts to develop the regional strategy for saving the Aral Sea and ensure the environmental security as a critical factor for sustainable development in the region and the welfare of the Central Asia nations. This is illustrated by the important initiatives put forward by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the IFAS Summit in Kazakhstan last April to promote regional cooperation and address modern challenges through applying universally recognized norms and rules of international law in compliance with the interests of the countries of the region. In particular, the Turkmen leader’s initiative to establish the expert group with the assistance of the United Nations and its agencies including the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia, which would draft the comprehensive international legal document aimed at saving the Aral Sea, was welcomed and supported by the Summit participants.

        Aiming to implement the decisions adopted at the Summit the Executive Committee of IFAS developed the Five Steps to Enhance Cooperation programme to coordinate the regional efforts to save the Aral Sea. Intensifying partnership with the UN agencies including the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Ashgabat is a key goal of this programme.

        Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea was an important step to achieve this goal. It was noted during the ceremony that this document would enhance regional cooperation, improve the ecological and social and economic situation in the Aral Sea basin and assist in developing the mutually advantageous mechanism for managing water resources and protecting the environment in Central Asia in mutual interests.

        It should be noted that the fact of choosing Ashgabat as the venue for signing this important document between the UN and IFAS vivid evidences Turkmenistan’s prestige on the world arena enhanced through President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s constructive and prudent foreign policy.