Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Sept. 25
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
The first meeting of the People's Assembly (Parliament) of Turkmenistan chaired by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has begun in Ashgabat, state news agency "Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary" reported Sept. 25.
Discussion of priority tasks for further comprehensive development of Turkmenistan has been put on the agenda. The delegates from all regions of the country, heads of public authorities, political parties and public organizations, members of the Parliament, regional and district administrations have gathered in the Rukhiyet Palace.
The event is held on the eve of Independence Day (September 27). The adoption of neutrality as the official legal status of Turkmenistan and the main direction of foreign policy was a fateful decision, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said at the meeting.
The unanimously supported and adopted resolution of the UN General Assembly dated December 12, 1995 states that the world community "recognizes and supports the principle of neutrality proclaimed by Turkmenistan".
Turkmenistan has become a coordinating center, a guarantor of reliable cooperation, openness and security in Central Asia, the head of state said.
In early October of 2017, a decision was made on the transformation and renaming of the Council of Elders to the People's Council.
Prior to that, the Council of Elders served as a purely advisory body. At the same time, in the period from 1992 to 2008, the People’s Council was the highest representative body of Turkmenistan.