OSCE Chairman encourages Turkmenistan to intensify co-operation with Organization

ASHGABAD, 12 April 2007 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, encouraged Turkmenistan today to intensify its co-operation with the Organization and the rest of the international community.

"We want to intensify dialogue with Turkmenistan's leaders," the Chairman-in-Office said during a visit to Ashgabad.

"The OSCE and its Spanish Chairmanship hope to be able to strengthen and expand our activities in this country. We are ready to provide increased support in the political, economic and environmental security fields, including addressing land degradation, as well as for educational reforms."

In meetings with top officials, including President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, Minister Moratinos welcomed the authorities' invitation of an OSCE Election Support Team for the 11 February presidential elections. The OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) sent a team of experts to follow the election process and to learn about election-related issues.

"I highly appreciated Turkmenistan's readiness to receive ODIHR's expert team and to enter in constructive dialogue with that institution," Minister Moratinos said after a meeting with Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, adding that the Spanish OSCE Chairmanship hoped the co-operation would continue, with special focus on reforming election legislation, strengthening civil society and building democratic institutions.

OSCE and Turkmenistan's government are ready to foster co-operation in border control, fighting drug trafficking as well as organized crime and terrorism.

Minister Moratinos noted with satisfaction the recent OSCE training courses on community policing techniques for Turkmen police officers carried out at the Turkish Police Academy in Ankara. He also said the OSCE would continue to support the modernization and reform of the police.

The Chairman-in-Office welcomed the creation of a State Commission tasked with overseeing law enforcement agencies to address individual complaints.

"The OSCE is ready to provide support and technical expertise in this endeavour, which I hope will become a forum to resolve specific complaints," Minister Moratinos said.

The Chairman-in-Office also noted that the 2007 Spanish OSCE Chairmanship had made fully engaging Central Asia a priority for the Organization, reflecting the vital role played by Turkmenistan and its neighbours.

The visit to Ashgabad was part of a tour of Central Asia.