Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct.25 / Trend H. Hasanov /
"We welcome Turkmenistan's plans to expand UN agencies' presence on its territory," the UNDP Resident Representative, Lenni Montiel said in his address.
UN supports the proposal to establish a regional centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for the countries of Central Asia and Caspian Basin, as well as a regional office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
According to him, "opening of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat is an important event in the context of Turkmenistan's peacemaking initiatives.
Montiel stressed that Turkmenistan now focuses on full cooperation with the United Nations, believing that "one of the important milestones in this cooperation can rightly be considered UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's visit to Turkmenistan, who welcomed the fruitful cooperation between the UN and Turkmenistan, as well as the country's commitment to continue reforms in the sphere of economy, social services, health and human rights".
At the UN General Assembly's 65th session Ashgabat announced its new initiatives, such as the creation of the Energy Council of the United Nations to address international supply of energy resources and specific proposals on the Afghan settlement.
"As the UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan, I fully support Turkmenistan's efforts to be an active member of special UN agencies - the Economic and Social Council and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Executive Committee".