Turkmenistan, which adopted a democratic approach almost three decades ago, has a long way to go towards a stronger democracy.
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The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 created five independent states in Central Asia; Turkmenistan is one of them. Despite being in the group of other Central Asian countries, Turkmenistan has maintained its uniqueness from the beginning. It is one of the countries born in that time, about which very little has been written or spoken about till date. That is why there is a kind of mysterious incomprehensibility about it. One must understand the history, geopolitics, culture and foreign policy of this wonderful Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan is of paramount importance in contemporary Eurasian geopolitics, largely due to its strategic location. It is bordered by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to the east, Afghanistan to the southeast, and Iran to the south. Although entirely landlocked, the Caspian Sea to the west of Turkmenistan is a vast body of freshwater, important for energy and connectivity. At the same time, the country has abundant reserves of mineral oil, natural gas, salt, sulfur and other minerals. Turkmenistan has about 9.4% of the world's natural gas reserves, making it the fourth largest. So it plays a key role in communications, energy security and the politics of pipelines.
The geographical location also has a profound effect on the history and culture of the region. From ancient times the region has been developing as an important link between East-West and North-South transport routes. Through the Silk Road, trade flourished, and many cities flourished. Merv in present-day Turkmenistan is a prosperous city that emerged during this period and still retains the footprints of the Silk Road.
In ancient times the area was inhabited by Persians. Over time, various tribes of Turkish descent migrated here. Meanwhile, the region experienced many invasions and revolutions. The Russian Tsar annexed the area to his empire in the late 19th century; And after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, it became part of the Soviet Union. Later, under the leadership of Stalin, the Turkmen Republic was formed. This time, for the first time, the territory received certain boundaries, a specific name, and certain linguistic and cultural rights based on Turkmen nationality. Although the republics had some autonomy during the Moscow-era Soviet regime, they did not have the independence and sovereignty that they gained after 1991.
Since 1985, the Republic of Turkmenistan has been headed by Saparmurat Niyazov. He was elected President even after independence. From then until his death in 2006, he remained at the top of the country. Originally from a communist structure, Niyazov turned to nationalist ideology after independence. In fact, in the nationalism he preached, along with Jajjwalya national pride, his personal charisma also had an important place. In the center of the capital, Ashgabat, he erected his own gold statue, which changes direction during the day like the sun. Also, he bestowed on himself the title of 'Turkmenbashi', meaning the father of the Turkmen nation. In his book Ruhnama, Niyazov gives an in-depth commentary on the history, culture and spirituality of the Turkmen tribes. This text is found in every Turkmen home;
After Niazov's untimely death in 2006, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov became the country's president, a position he still holds today. After coming to power, he began to oust Niazov in many ways.
Turkmenistan, which adopted a democratic approach almost three decades ago, has a long way to go towards a stronger democracy. Although regular elections are taking place here, the freedoms, rights and free environment expected for democracy have not yet been created here. The secularism that has prevailed here since Soviet times, however, is largely unaffected.
Turkmenistan, with a population of about 6.2 million, has a predominantly Sunni Muslim and Turkmen language speakers. However, people of other religions, languages and ethnicities also enjoy Gunya Govinda here. Originally influenced by religion, language, and political leadership, Turkmen nationalism is largely based on the rich nomadic lifestyle that has been cultivated here. Even today, the people here have preserved their tribal cultural identity. The country's national flag features five types of carpet maps, symbolizing the five major Turkmen tribes.
Turkmenistan is a predominantly desert region, although the Amu Darya basin and the Caspian Sea provide abundant natural and mineral resources. The life of the common people here is easy. Electricity, water, gas and salt are available free of cost to the citizens. The economy here is largely energy-intensive. Exports of natural gas generate significant foreign exchange to the country every year. Turkmenistan ranks first in China's gas imports. It also exports gas to Russia, European countries and Iran. He is also involved in the Central Asian power system. The country also supplies electricity to Afghanistan.
The country also enthusiastically undertook the project of 'Tapi' pipeline from Turkmenistan to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan. Construction that breaks through their borders has already been completed, and construction has now begun in Afghanistan. If this pipeline is completed, India's energy-appetite can be shared with many. However, given the security challenges between the two countries, the project seems far-fetched at the moment. Meanwhile, India is also trying to export gas from Turkmenistan via Iran. These efforts show the urgency of the two countries to diversify their gas trade.
An important feature of Turkmenistan's foreign policy is the "permanent neutrality" it has adopted, led by President Saparmurat Niyazov. The United Nations also ratified the policy in 1995. Based on this policy, Turkmenistan cannot stand on any one side in any ongoing or future international conflict. It also does not join any military or strategic group. However, this does not mean that the country is a supporter of separatism.
In fact, along with neutrality, Turkmenistan's "open door policy" is significant, which has led it to establish closer ties with many countries and international organizations. The United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as the Commonwealth of Independent Nations (CII) .S.) Turkmenistan has always been an active participant in these organizations. At the same time, the country is home to the strategically important Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Eurasia. There is a gap.
Since independence, Turkmenistan has made significant contributions to peace, security, economic relations and communications. The United Nations' Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia is located in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. The Center is committed to establishing regional cooperation on highly sensitive issues such as terrorism, drug trafficking, and climate change. In the last few years, relations with neighboring countries have also improved and increased.
Due to its strategic location, Turkmenistan is important in all contemporary connectivity projects. The country is establishing itself as an important link on inland and intercontinental railways, and on north-south and east-west transport routes. In November 2017, a major 'International Transport Summit' was held in Ashgabat under the chairmanship of Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan has joined the China-sponsored Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He is also a leader in the Ashgabat Agreement, the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran Railway, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan Railway, the Lapis Lazuli Agreement, and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Air Pipeline. The country could also be important in the 'International North-South Transport Corridor' being shaped by the initiatives of India, Russia and Iran.
Turkmenistan shares a 800-kilometer border with Afghanistan, and the two have linguistic, ethnic and cultural links. The number of Turkmen-speaking people in Afghanistan is significant. At the same time, the country's leadership is aware of the impending terrorism and other security challenges. Therefore, Turkmenistan is interested in the peace process in neighboring Afghanistan. Transport, communication, trade, energy, security, culture, etc. in the two countries. There is valuable cooperation in the field. In 2017, Turkmenistan successfully hosted the Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan's external relations, which took a slow and cautious step in the 1990s, have grown significantly in recent years. The country is still committed to its principles of 'permanent neutrality and openness' and is expanding its external relations within the same framework. Security, the fight against terrorism, climate change are playing an important role in the world. It is also a leader in communication, communication and information technology. It is believed that this will make the country more and more open, and a subject of curiosity and study for the international community.
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