1. The European Union welcomes the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, Ambassador William Leaf, to the Permanent Council. We thank him and his predecessor, Ambassador John MacGregor, for their excellent work. We look forward to continuing the good cooperation with the Centre in Ashgabat. 

2. We welcome the Centre’s work in assisting Turkmenistan in fulfilling its OSCE commitments and supporting the country’s reform process and development across all three OSCE dimensions of security. We commend the Centre’s constructive cooperation with the national authorities, as well as the coordination with other OSCE structures and institutions, EU Delegation and international actors. The recent visit of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Special Envoy Ambassador Terhi Hakala is a standing proof of the results-oriented and mutually beneficial cooperation between the OSCE and Turkmenistan. 

3. Turkmenistan remains an important partner for the EU in Central Asia, as highlighted during the visit of High Representative Kaja Kallas in March 2025, in the margins of the 20th EU-Central Asia Ministerial Meeting hosted in Ashgabat, as well as during the meeting of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Antonio Costa with President Berdimuhamedov in the margins of the EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand in April 2025. We welcome Turkmenistan’s offer to host the 2026 EU-Central Asia Economic Forum. 

4. In the politico-military dimension, we emphasise the important work of the Centre in enhancing Turkmenistan’s capacity to combat transnational threats, to control small arms and light weapons and ensure ammunition safety and critical infrastructure protection. We welcome also the activities under the ExB project “Strengthening Border Service Capacities in Turkmenistan”, supported by several EU Member States. We also appreciate the synergy and cooperation between the Centre and security related EU projects, such as BOMCA, CADAP, LEICA, implemented in Central Asia. We also welcome Turkmenistan’s participation in the “Young Women 4 Peace in Central Asia” project, which is co-funded by the EU and implemented by the OSCE.

5. In the economic and environmental dimension, we welcome the Centre’s continuous focus on strengthening connectivity and promoting good governance, by combating corruption, anti-money laundering and financing of terrorism, in line with international standards and OSCE commitments. We underscore the relevant work in supporting the development of national climate legislation, renewable energy efficiency and methane emission reduction. As part of the EU-Central Asia Joint Roadmap for Deepening Ties, the EU is also active on these areas of work in Turkmenistan, notably with the development of a Trans-Caspian Transport Network through the Global Gateway initiative, and in supporting Turkmenistan in the implementation of the Global Methane Pledge.

6. The EU welcomes the Centre’s programmatic activities in the human dimension. This work is much needed, since, unfortunately, there still remain serious shortcomings in human rights and fundamental freedoms protection in Turkmenistan, including in terms of continued enforced disappearance of many people in the country’s prisons. The EU stands ready to further support Turkmenistan in improving the human rights situation in all areas. We appreciate the support provided to the Ombudsperson’s Office in combating gender-based violence and encourage Turkmenistan to implement the recommendations of ODIHR on this matter. We also support the activities aimed at addressing emerging challenges such technology-facilitated human trafficking, strengthening media freedom and in support for judiciary and penitentiary reform. 

7. The EU welcomes that advancing gender equality and its mainstreaming remain high on the Centre’s agenda.

8. In conclusion, allow me to express our appreciation for the Centre’s work, including cooperation with the EU, in a time of budgetary constraints. We wish Ambassador Leaf and his team every success in the fulfillment of their mandate.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom align themselves with this statement.