24 July 2007: Ashgabat

The United Nations has endorsed Turkmenistan’s proposal to host a regional peace centre – centre for preventive diplomacy – in Ashgabat.

A UN envoy told President Berdymuhamedov that he was visiting Turkmenistan to discuss practical steps for creation of a centre of preventive diplomacy in Ashgabat, an idea that was floated by Turkmenistan several years ago.

The meeting took place Monday at Hazar place, the Caspian coastal residence of the president of Turkmenistan.

Vladimir Goryaev, Deputy Director of the Asia and the Pacific Division in the Department of Political Affairs of the UN Secretariat, said that the UN fully supports the idea.

The centre would be an advance post of the United Nations in Central Asia and it would serve as an effective tool for early prevention of conflicts, and peaceful settlement of crisis situations, said Goryaev.

Speaking to the Turkmen media after his meeting with President Berdymuhamedov, Goryaev said that Turkmenistan will get full support for establishment of the centre for preventive diplomacy in Ashgabat.

He said that the proposed centre was important for the United Nations, it was important for the region and it was important for neutral Turkmenistan.

Goryaev added that Turkmenistan’s past record is fully compatible with the scope of the centre and it will help prevent extremism and terrorism in the region.

Source: News Central Asia