Chairman-in-Office wishes to broaden co-operation between OSCE and Turkmenistan

ASHGABAD, 9 April, 2004 - On the fifth day of his tour of Central Asian States, the Chairman-in-Office, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Solomon Passy, discussed the OSCE agenda for further democratic development of Turkmenistan with the country's President, Saparmurat Niyazov.

He also held meetings with the Foreign Minister, Rashid Meredov, and with Ovezgeldy Atayev, Chairman of the Mejlis. Later he met separately with representatives of the State-sponsored National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, and with representatives of civil society in the OSCE Centre in Ashgabad.

In his meetings, the Chairman-in-Office expressed satisfaction that the programmatic activities of the OSCE Centre for 2004, with a number of important projects, had received Government approval and hoped that these would be carried through to completion.

Minister Passy spoke with the Turkmen Foreign Minister about the priorities of his Chairmanship including education, both to further good governance and generate respect for human rights, as well as his wish to encourage greater regional co-operation in Central Asia.

He invited Turkmenistan to attend a follow-up event in Bulgaria to the regional education conference held last week in Tashkent. He also expressed the hope that Turkmenistan would become involved with the OSCE Academy, located in Bishkek, which specializes in training students in regional co-operation.

On penal reform, he welcomed Turkmenistan's decision not to reintroduce the death penalty and pleaded for improvements in prison conditions in accordance with international standards.

During the meetings he reiterated the OSCE's readiness to extend co-operation over other issues, including border management, anti-trafficking, and economic and environmental dimension projects.