Preventive diplomacy and negotiation in neutral states in focus of OSCE seminars in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAT, 23 September 2015 - Thirty young diplomats from the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan completed today an OSCE-organized a seminar on preventive diplomacy and negotiation in a neutral state held on 21-23 September.

Separate sessions on the same days but in the afternoon were organized for more than seventy students from the Foreign Ministry’s Institute of International Relations and the International University for Humanities and Development.

During the three-day training courses, a senior expert from the Netherlands elaborated on the definition of preventive diplomacy and its mechanisms, including early warning, early action, mediation and confidence building.

“As the OSCE is considered to be a primary instrument for conflict prevention and resolution, preventive diplomacy is an essential component of the Organization’s activities aimed at addressing potential threats to security at the early stages of their emergence,” said Ambassador Ivo Petrov, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“This year, Turkmenistan is widely celebrating the 20th anniversary of its neutrality status and the OSCE Centre organized this seminar to mark this important date and emphasize the opportunities that neutral states have to help parties resolve their disputes and prevent conflicts. We believe, this seminar will contribute to enhancing professional skills of young and future diplomats and promoting the role of neutral Turkmenistan in preventive diplomacy.”

The seminar also addressed bilateral and multilateral negotiations as well as the principles and techniques for their conduct. Participants analyzed case studies and discussed the importance of taking into account cultural and linguistic aspects to achieve success in negotiations.