These policies help people to find the true path, listen to their conscience and thus reform and find a new, proper direction for their lives. They also display our determination to establish a democratic, humanitarian, and just social welfare state, respecting the principles of human rights and freedom. We are also proud of the fact that we are the first of the states which gained their independence recently to realize the developments laid out above.

It is well-known by all that all events are interrelated and interdependent today. The line of development of events is as follows: citizen-state-region-continent-world-humanity. Thus, no matter its size and importance each nation and state with respect to its capacity should accept its responsibility to contribute to humanity within the context of this chain. This reflects Türkmenistan’s way of resolving issues in her domestic and foreign policies. Within this context, economic and political immorality and arbitrariness should never be given a chance. That some international organisations, states or financial centres provide financial assistance for a country should not mean by any means that the law of the sovereignty of that receiver state or its independence can be taken lightly. Real power is the respect for truth itself, which is a feature of our new century. Such a manner, policy and application has been the basic approach of Türkmenistan in the past and at present. This principle is in accord with the Türkmen nation’s ethical character and its political understanding, which forms the basis of the state’s neutrality.

The National Council of Türkmenistan that convened on 27 December 1999 accepted the document, “A Declaration on