Preston University holds seminar on Political Culture of Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan

Preston University on Wednesday organized here a seminar on “Political Culture of Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan” in collaboration with the Society of Asian Civilizations.

Speaking on the occasion Ambassador of Turkmenistan Sapar Berdiniyazov said a summit conference would be held in Ashgabat next month to sign the TAPI gas pipeline project among Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

This, he said, would be a mega event and an important milestone in promoting bilateral relations. Venting his views on topic of the seminar the Ambassador highlighted the neutrality of Turkmenistan which was endorsed unanimously in the UN General Assembly by all 185 member states.

He said neutrality was based on principles of peace, humanism and openness. Unfolding the background of neutrality, he said Turkmenistan had been a bridge between East and West, North and South and has played an important role as a central section of the great Silk Route which has been a road for peace and communication for nearly one and a half centuries.

Sapar Berdiniyazov said that the doctrine of permanent neutrality was announced by the first President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov during the third ECO Summit held in Islamabad in March 1995. Pakistan was one of the co-sponsors which supported Turkmenistan in achieving this goal.

Permanent neutrality serves the supreme national interest of Turkmenistan and it helped strengthen the country’s independence, promote peace, develop national economy and introduce market reforms, he said.

Others who also spoke on the occasion included Tariq Usman Hyder, former Pakistan Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Dr. Saima Kayani, Chairperson Department of Diplomatic and Strategic Studies, Fatima Jinnah Women University and Sarwat Rauf, Lecturer at NUML. 

Earlier, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam Khan from the Faculty of Management Sciences of Preston University welcomed the distinguished guests. Prof. Dr. Z.A. Qureshi, President of Society of Asian Civilizations (SAC) presented a brief introduction of SAC.