Throughout the entire period of its independence, neutral Turkmenistan has pursued an open and predictable domestic and foreign policy in all spheres of life of the state and society.
At the same time, our country has been firmly following the path of implementing large-scale and long-term national programs aimed at strengthening the foundations of the state structure, creating a diversified economic system, solving important social problems, and improving the standard of living of the Turkmen people.
One of the important factors of such progressive and effective internal development is the creation of the most favorable external conditions, the formation of which is carried out due to the wise, balanced, and transparent foreign policy of Turkmenistan, based on the principles and norms of the Charter of the United Nations, the main place among which is occupied by equality and mutual respect of states to each other.
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Based on these most important provisions, the neutral Turkmen state, over more than three decades of its membership in the Community of Nations, has made a great contribution to the development of the entire system of international relations, the development, and implementation of UN decisions on a wide range of problems on the global agenda today.
One of these areas is energy sustainability and security, further improving international energy cooperation.
In this regard, it should be emphasized that at Turkmenistan’s initiative, a fundamentally new concept of international energy cooperation at the present stage was created. Its core was to ensure equal rights and opportunities, as well as respect for the interests of energy producers, transit countries, and consumers in world markets.
Implementing this strategy, the United Nations, represented by its General Assembly, twice: in December 2008 and in May 2013, unanimously adopted Resolutions on reliable and stable transit of energy resources and its role in ensuring sustainable development and international cooperation.
Consistently continuing the line of expanding multilateral partnerships in the energy field, in September this year Turkmenistan, in its priority positions at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, proposed to consider the possibility of adopting a new Resolution “Stable, sustainable and reliable energy mobility and its key role in ensuring sustainable development”. The draft Resolution provides for the possibility of holding the International Forum “Sustainable Energy for All” in Turkmenistan in 2025.
Turkmenistan’s internationally significant proposals in the energy sector reflected in decisions taken by the world community, have received and continue to receive their practical implementation in a number of large energy projects, among which especially noteworthy are such energy-carrying pipelines as the Turkmenistan-China, Turkmenistan-Iran gas pipelines, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, high-voltage power lines from Turkmenistan to Iran and in the Afghan direction with subsequent access to Pakistan.
The implementation of the above and other projects is based on the principle of diversifying Turkmenistan’s energy supplies to various regions of the Eurasian continent.
It is necessary to emphasize that over many years of joint activities with foreign states and companies, our country has established itself as a responsible and reliable partner, conducting business based on the principles of mutual trust, respect, good neighborliness, and openness.
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It is from the position that Turkmenistan is today expanding the geography of its international energy cooperation.
Among the new promising partners, the Turkmen side considers a number of states from the Far, Middle and Near East, South and Southeast Asia, which show great interest and a high degree of initiative in effective interaction with Turkmenistan in the energy dimension.
Among them, the Republic of Iraq should be highlighted.
As is known, a high-ranking Iraqi delegation, consisting of leaders and specialists from ministries and state agencies of the energy sector of this country, visited Ashgabat in August 2023, whereas negotiations on cooperation with Turkmenistan, in particular in the gas industry were held.
In the context of continuing the bilateral energy dialogue, the Turkmen delegation led by the Minister of State – Chairman of the State Concern “Turkmengas” was on a working visit to Baghdad from October 5 to October 8 this year.
During the visit, representatives of Turkmenistan were received by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. At the meeting, the head of the Iraqi government noted his country’s readiness and desire to develop comprehensive and mutually beneficial relations with Turkmenistan, where the energy component will become one of the main areas of bilateral partnership.
In this regard, he welcomed the agreements reached between the state energy structures of the two countries and expressed confidence in the early start of their practical implementation.
The Turkmen delegation held detailed negotiations with the Minister of Electricity Ziad Ali Fadel, during which a range of issues related to the organization of supplies of Turkmen natural gas to Iraq were discussed in a constructive manner.
In particular, Iraqi partners have expressed interest in gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Iraq under the SWAP scheme through the territory of the neighboring Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of long-term contracts, the duration of which can be at least 5 years. At the same time, the Iraqi side will be ready to accept Turkmen natural gas in the amount of 10 billion cubic meters annually.
In addition, the parties discussed in detail the legal, commercial, financial, and organizational conditions for future joint activities in the gas industry.
As a result of the negotiations, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the State Concern “Turkmengas” and the Ministry of Electricity of the Republic of Iraq.
The parties agreed to continue negotiations in Ashgabat on October 25-27 this year as part of the International Exhibition and Conference “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2023”.
Based on the above, it should be noted that Turkmenistan, relying on its own rich positive experience of international cooperation in the energy sector, possessing huge reserves of hydrocarbon resources, having a wide range of potential partners, will firmly and consistently pursue a policy of further diversification of its energy supplies to world markets, including development of the national gas industry, expansion of multi-variant pipeline infrastructure, sale of Turkmen natural gas to interested countries and companies on the basis of international rules and practices in the gas industry.
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