Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 18 August (BelTA) - Belarus and Turkmenistan are engaged in an active dialogue in the Energy Charter, Belarus’ Deputy Energy Minister Vadim Zakrevsky said at the workshop “Cooperation in energy - a factor of stable and sustained progress in the global processes in the 21st century” in Minsk. The event was organized by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Belarus, BelTA has learned.

In 2017 Turkmenistan presides in the Energy Charter Conference which is a good dialogue platform to exchange views on energy issues, the deputy minister said. He drew attention to the fact that Belarus is an observer in this international organization and that the country participated in the Ashgabat forum of the International Energy Charter in May. Vadim Zakrevsky believes that the organization has a great potential and can have an even greater influence on world energy processes. He also highlighted the importance of the NPP construction project for Belarus.

Deputy Head of Multilateral Diplomacy at the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Shumsky drew attention to the close interrelationship of energy issues with sustainable development. According to him, access to energy determines the level of development of a country. The workshop speakers also included the heads of Belarusian universities who are engaged in training and retraining of personnel for the energy industry.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to Belarus Nazarguly Shagulyev spoke about the importance of the initiatives in energy put forward at the international level. In 2007, during the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly, the Turkmenistan president voiced an initiative to establish international legal instruments to ensure energy security. In this regard, in 2008 and 2013 respectively the General Assembly adopted special regulations on sustainable and stable transit of energy resources to foreign markets. The documents lay down the basic principles and approaches to the promotion of international cooperation in energy. At a session of the Conference of the Energy Charter Turkmenistan in Tokyo in 2016 Turkmenistan was named chairman of the largest international organization in 2017.

“This is yet another vivid testimony of the high authority of the country in the international arena and support of foreign policy pursued by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. The most important aspect of the country's of foreign policy is international energy cooperation,” the diplomat said. “The Turkmenistan presidency focuses primarily on the development and strengthening of international energy cooperation, developing a qualitatively new discussion platform to discuss urgent issues of international power engineering, ensuring global energy security,” he added.

An integrated approach to the existing problems is needed in order to ensure global energy security, the Ambassador believes. It is important to develop a political format of promoting interrelations and discussing the whole range of energy issues. The situation in the energy sector of the world economy requires elaborating and adopting the UN convention on energy security. When implementing large-scale projects to ensure global energy security, it is important to ensure that participants strictly adhere to international norms and standards, give environmental aspect a priority.

“During the Presidency in the Energy Charter Turkmenistan pays particular attention to a number of areas, including energy efficiency and energy saving, and believes that their discussion should become an important part of international energy dialogue today. In this connection, it is important to apply innovative technologies and management methods when creating energy production and transit infrastructure.

Careful attitude to the environment and nature is another key component of the modern energy cycle. Therefore, the use of renewable energy are among the priorities of international energy activities. In addition, the reliability and safety of international energy flows, legal protection of the energy supply routes are gaining relevance,” the diplomat said.

Turkmenistan intends to take all necessary measures and actions to synthesize the findings and recommendations of the states, international organizations, business representatives and experts and include them in the outcome document of the 28th session of the Energy Charter Conference.

The program of the workshop also included photo- and book exhibitions, screening of a documentary telling about the achievements of Turkmenistan. The event was attended by foreign diplomats, representatives of Belarusian universities, and Turkmenistan students studying in Belarus.