US Permanent Representative to the OSCE for the Human Dimension Michael Carpenter criticized Turkmenistan’s March presidential election, which the diplomat said “led to a dynastic transfer of power.” He spoke at the OSCE Human Rights Conference in Warsaw at the end of September 2022.
“Although the Electoral Code was amended prior to the March elections, all previous ODIHR recommendations were ignored, including those relating to the separation of powers, ensuring fundamental human rights, freedom of the media, the conduct of elections, candidate and voter registration, and procedures for voting on election day. Accordingly, the elections were not free and unfair,” Carpenter said.
It is worth noting that the American diplomat did not speak exclusively about Turkmenistan, he also touched upon problems in other countries, including the United States.
At the same time, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid expressed her readiness to hold talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to discuss prospects for cooperation. This is stated in her congratulatory telegram on the occasion of the Independence Day of Turkmenistan.
“In times of constant and urgent security challenges throughout the OSCE region and beyond, there are also new opportunities for closer engagement. The OSCE stands ready to continue to strengthen peace, stability and closer cooperation in Central Asia and the OSCE region. It would be an honor for me to meet with you in Vienna or Ashgabat to further discuss our cooperation,” the state news agency of Turkmenistan TDH quoted her as saying.
In March last year, an online meeting of Helga Schmid and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov was held.
In April 2021, then President of the country Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov opened the Congress Center and the Reception Center of Turkmenistan, and also held a conference “International cooperation of an independent, permanently neutral Turkmenistan in the name of peace and trust”, at which, among other things, a video message from the OSCE Secretary General was heard.
Serdar is the son of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and was elected president of the country in March. Since 2021, Gurbanguly himself has been the chairman of the Upper House of the Parliament of Turkmenistan – the Halk Maslyakhaty.
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Sept. 30, 2022