Distinguished Shadurdy Oveznepesovich, Bobur Masudovich, Philipp Igorevich,
Your Excellencies,
Esteemed Participants of the Round Table,

First and foremost, allow me to express my deep appreciation to the Embassy of Turkmenistan and personally to Shadurdy Oveznepesovich for the initiative and invaluable support in organizing today’s event.

I am also pleased to welcome the Deputy Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat, esteemed ambassadors, and all participants of the round table on “The International Year of Peace and Trust: Turkmenistan’s Contribution to Global and Regional Cooperation.” Our forum is dedicated to the launch of this global initiative spearheaded by Turkmenistan’s leadership and endorsed by the international community through the UN General Assembly.

I would also like to highlight the highly dynamic cooperation in advancing the Uzbek-Turkmen strategic partnership, which is undoubtedly fostered by the trust-based relations between the leaders of our two nations. A distinctive feature of our bilateral ties is the mutual support for each other’s international initiatives, as well as our collaboration in promoting regional cooperation in Central Asia.

In October last year, while addressing the high-level international forum in Ashgabat marking the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev welcomed the UN General Assembly’s proclamation of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust and Turkmenistan’s launch of a unique global dialogue platform.

In Uzbekistan, we firmly believe that the international summit dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s policy of positive neutrality, scheduled for December 2025 in Ashgabat, will be a milestone event on the global agenda. As President Mirziyoyev emphasized, Uzbekistan stands ready to provide “all necessary support to our Turkmen brothers.”

The initiative to declare the International Year of Peace and Trust is yet another testament to Ashgabat’s active and constructive role in strengthening global stability and dialogue. The UN General Assembly resolution was backed by 86 states, including Uzbekistan, underscoring the unity of our nations in their commitment to peace, trust, and international cooperation.

In this regard, the first session of the round table proposes to focus on strengthening peace and trust, while assessing Turkmenistan’s significant contribution to global stability and cooperation.

Furthermore, it is impossible to overlook Turkmenistan’s pivotal role in fostering peace, trust, and regional collaboration in Central Asia. A vivid demonstration of this commitment was the Turkmen-initiated UN General Assembly resolution “Zone of Peace, Trust, and Cooperation in Central Asia,” adopted in July 2022.

This landmark document underscores the necessity of further supporting the initiative for regular Consultative Meetings of the Central Asian Heads of State, which have evolved into an effective mechanism for regional cooperation. It also reflects the shared aspiration of the region’s countries to consolidate peace, enhance mutual trust, and expand multifaceted cooperation.

In this regard, the second session of our round table is set to focus on issues of regional cooperation in Central Asia.

Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan actively collaborate on key regional agenda items. A testament to this was the visit of Turkmenistan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rashid Ovezgeldiyevich Meredov, to our country in January of this year. He was warmly received by the leadership of Uzbekistan and held another round of Uzbek-Turkmen political consultations.

During the exchange of views, special attention was given to preparations for upcoming high-level visits, the Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State, and summits in the "Central Asia Plus" format.

As is well known, the next Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State will be held in Uzbekistan this year. Additionally, summits in the "Central Asia – European Union" and "Central Asia – Gulf Cooperation Council" formats are planned to take place in Samarkand.

We are grateful to our Turkmen friends for their support of our regional initiatives. A landmark moment in this cooperation was the historic visit of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, His Excellency Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, to Uzbekistan in November 2019 to participate in the Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State.

It is also crucial to emphasize that all the countries of our region not only demonstrate political will but also make a substantial practical contribution to strengthening peace, fostering trust, and advancing regional cooperation. Our joint efforts are laying a solid foundation for a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for the entire region.

In conclusion, I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to the Embassy of Turkmenistan, which became a valuable partner of MOXI last year, as well as to the Committee on Interethnic Relations and Friendly Ties with Foreign Countries under the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan. Notably, in October, we jointly organized the scientific symposium "The Literary and Political-Philosophical Legacy of Magtymguly Pyragy" in honor of the 300th anniversary of the great Turkmen poet and thinker.

I wish you a productive exchange of views and firmly believe that the outcomes of this round table will further contribute to the development of cooperation for our shared future—one of peace, trust, and prosperity in Central Asia.

Thank you for your attention!