Mensenrechtendialoog EU-Turkmenistan constructief (en)

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 17 May 2013 A

EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue

On 15 May 2013 the fifth Human Rights Dialogue between the Republic of Turkmenistan and the European Union took place in Ashgabat. The dialogue was held in a constructive atmosphere, with exchanges on a wide range of issues of mutual interest and concern, as well as discussions on possibilities for concrete cooperation in the field of human rights, rule of law and democracy

The Turkmen delegation was led by deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Vepa Khajiev and included officials from the Turkmen National Institute for Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan, as well as the Ministry of Justice and the Parliament. The EU delegation was led by Ms Elisabeth Tison, Head of the Human Rights Guidelines Division in the European External Action Service

During the dialogue, the EU and Turkmenistan focused in particular on judicial reform, including prison conditions, national institutions for the protection of human rights, civil society development, freedom of expression and media, freedom of religion, the rights of minorities, women and children and cooperation in international fora. Individual cases were also raised

The EU delegation also held consultations with representatives of international organisations active in Turkmenistan that covered a broad range of issues, including human rights, rule of law and democracy

The EU delegation proposed holding the next EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue meeting in 2014 in Brussels