The visit of the ITU Secretary-General, Mr. Houlin Zhao to Turkmenistan was organized at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The objective of the visit was to participate in the International Conference "Policy of Neutrality: International Cooperation for Peace, Security and Development", which was held in the city of Ashgabat on 12 December 2015.
On 12 December 1995, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 50/80A "Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan". At the 69th Session of UN General Assembly, on 3 June 2015, 193 states unanimously adopted a resolution with the same title "Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan". 47 states became the co-authors of the document. The document welcomed the government's decision to declare the 2015 as the Year of Neutrality and Peace as well as to host the International Conference on topic "The Policy of Neutrality: International Cooperation for Peace, Security, and Development" in December 2015.
In accordance with programme of the international conference "Policy of Neutrality: International Cooperation for Peace, Security and Development", Mr. Zhao took part in the following official ceremonies:
- Laying of flowers to the Monument of Neutrality of Turkmenistan;
- Hand-shaking ceremony of President of Turkmenistan H.E. Mr. Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov with the Heads of the Delegations;
- Official ceremony of photographing.
Mr. Houlin Zhao participated in break-out sessions of the conference: first session "The Role of Permanent Neutrality in Ensuring Security and Sustainable Development"; second session "Potential and Prospects of Political and Diplomatic Tools in Solving of International Conflicts"; third session "Prospects of International Humanitarian Cooperation within the framework of Sustainable development").
At the third session, Mr. Zhao delivered a speech, where he appreciated the achievements of Turkmenistan over the 20 years of neutrality, in particular in the field of ICT development, including mobile communication, the Internet, broadband access, launch of the satellite, and confirmed the willingness of ITU to continue cooperation with Turkmenistan in the spheres of energy security, environment control, prevention of emergency situation in Central Asia.
