Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct.22/ Trend H. Hasanov /
Next year, the Australian Government intends to steadily cooperate with Turkmenistan within the bilateral format and in a multilateral format, the Australian Governor-General, Quentin Bryce's letter to the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov says.
The letter is timed to the forthcoming celebration of the 19th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence (October 27, 2010).
"Australia deeply appreciates the relations with Turkmenistan, and hopes to further strengthen bilateral ties. The relations established between us in the field of business and cultural contacts, as well as joint work within international organizations are an important basis for achieving this goal," Bryce said.
He also drew attention to the fact that "the Australian Government is deeply convinced that global challenges such as climate change, international development and disarmament, require global solutions. The multilateral institutions, particularly UN are the better area to search a collective response to these challenges".
At the last UN General Assembly, Turkmenistan, having a neutral state, offered within the UN to create a Forum on security, peace and cooperation in Central Asia and Caspian Basin.
In addition, a number of initiatives were voiced on global energy security, disarmament, environmental protection and restoration of stability in neighboring Afghanistan. A headquarters of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy is located in Ashgabat.