Day of Neutrality of Turkmenistan (12/12)

On December 12, Turkmenistan celebrates the second most important public holiday — Neutrality Day (Turkm). Bitaraplyk baýramy).

On December 12, 1995, the 50th session of the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it supported the idea of Turkmenistan to become a state with the status of permanent neutrality. In accordance with the resolution, Turkmenistan is recognized as a neutral state that undertakes not to participate in armed conflicts or interfere in the internal affairs of other states.

According to existing definitions in international law, Turkmenistan's neutrality is:

by origin, — is recognized, which is confirmed by the resolution of the UN General Assembly «Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan (December 12, 1995), the Islamabad Declaration following the third meeting of heads of state and government of the countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization (March 15, 1995), the Final Document of the 11th Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (October 20, 1995, Cartagena, Colombia);

in form — is permanent, that is, not limited in time and valid both in wartime and peacetime;

in terms of content, — is positive or constructive, which implies an active position of states in matters of maintaining peace and stability, developing relations of friendship and cooperation between states.

Permanent neutrality allows Turkmenistan to observe the principle of equidistance in relation to all military-political blocs and alliances and not to locate foreign military bases on its territory. At the same time, Turkmenistan, which is an active member of the UN, OSCE, CIS, and Non-Aligned Movement, in order to ensure the required level of defense capability of its armed forces, is developing military-technical cooperation on a bilateral basis with a number of countries. Among them are Russia, the USA, Türkiye and other states.

In Turkmenistan, on Neutrality Day, which is a day off in the country, festive events — concerts, exhibitions, and promotions are held. In the capital of the country, Ashgabat, according to established tradition, representatives of government structures and the public lay flowers at the Neutrality Monument —, a symbol of the commitment of Turkmenistan and the entire Turkmen people to the ideals of peace, creation and goodness. Many cities across the country also host various celebrations to celebrate the significant date of the national calendar.

On this day, the President of the country gives a congratulatory speech to his people. According to the former head of state — Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov —, neutrality contributes to the growth and strengthening of the authority of Turkmenistan, as a country that has declared the priority of its political strategy to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with all states and peoples of the world, strictly fulfilling international legal norms and obligations.

With Turkmenistan given the legal status of a constantly neutral state, ample opportunities were created for the consistent implementation of a deeply humanistic political course, the establishment of the primordial principles of peacefulness, friendship and good neighborliness of the Turkmen people.

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