Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with Karl Nehammer, Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria.

Upcoming two sessions to underscore China’s most important political event returning to normal following COVID adjustment: experts

By Chen Qingqing

The list of the members of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was unveiled with a new sector - the environment and resources sector - added, which some experts said has great significance as environmental protection constitutes a fundamental part in pursuing Chinese modernization. 
Meanwhile, with the adjustment and optimization of the country's epidemic prevention and control measures, this year's "two sessions," one of the most important annual political events, is expected to return to normal, experts said. 
There are 2,172 members from 34 sectors, with 85 from the newly established environment and resources sector, media reported on Wednesday. 
The first session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC will start on March 4 and the 14th National People's Congress will kick off its first session on March 5, the country's top legislature announced on December 30.  
In line with the guidelines of enhancing and improving the work of the CPPCC issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC has been pushing forward the establishment of the environment and resources sector.
In recent years, some regional committees of the CPPCC began adding this new sector and regional committees across the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have added the new sector, called the environment and resources or resources and the environment. 
"No matter whether it's about the comprehensive economic and social development or Chinese modernization, environmental and resource protection, as an important part of the Five-Pronged Overall Approach since the 18th National Congress, conveys great significance," Zhu Lijia, a professor of public management at the Chinese Academy of Governance, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 
To pursue Chinese modernization, environmental protection and construction is fundamental, and setting up this new sector could help policy makers and advisors play bigger roles in formulating environment-related policies and measures, Zhu said. 
Li Zhenhan, a member of the regional committee of the CPPCC in East China's Shandong Province, was quoted as saying in media reports on Wednesday that setting up this new sector could help allocate resources and bring members with various backgrounds in the environment, resources and energy who used to work in different sectors together. 
Environmental protection will continue being a major focus of the work of the CPC in the future. In a report delivered by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping to the 20th National Congress of the CPC in October 2022, Xi pointed out that we will advance the Beautiful China Initiative and take a holistic and systematic approach to the conservation and improvement of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands and deserts. 
"We will carry out coordinated industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological conservation and climate response, and promote concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, expand green development and pursue economic growth, he said. We will prioritize environmental protection, conserve resources and use them efficiently, and pursue green and low-carbon development," Xi said. 
This year's two sessions will also be the first annual gatherings for the country's two main political bodies to set priorities and plans involving the economy, military, trade, diplomacy and the environment for the next year since the country downgraded its COVID-19 management. 
Some experts believed that as the country's social and economic activities have been brought gradually back to normal following the adjustment and optimization of the epidemic prevention and control measures, the country's most important annual political activities are also expected to go to back to normal. 
Some experts considered that the economic recovery and China's population decline would be major focuses of this year's two sessions, especially when many observers and analysts remain bullish on China's economic prospects. Also, the Chinese mainland's population declined for the first time in 61 years, which attracted the world's attention. 
Among 2,172 members, there are 124 from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and 29 from the Macao SAR. Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, a Hong Kong Legislative Council member who is also the member of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC from the HKSAR, told the Global Times that he will focus on proposals such as legal services exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong, high-tech development and energy-saving and environmental protection during this year's meetings. 
"This year's two sessions will mainly focus on the economic recovery, including how to accelerate the production resumption and push forward high-quality growth," Zhu said. In terms of the declining population, Zhu said that it's a common question that many developed countries and developing countries face after economic and social development reaches a certain level. 
"How to turn China's demographic dividend into a talent dividend will also be a major focus of this year's meetings," he said.

Source: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202301/1284039.shtml

On January 27, 2023, a telephone conversation was held between the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.

The heads of state exchanged congratulations on the occasion of 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Tajikistan.

The Presidents noted with satisfaction the active political cooperation between the two countries, which is being successfully strengthened both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, primarily within the framework of authoritative international and regional structures.

Along with this, the sides positively assessed the progressive development of trade and economic cooperation, in connection with which the importance of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Tajik Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation was noted.

The role of a fruitful dialogue in the cultural, scientific and educational spheres in the rapprochement of the peoples of the two countries was also highlighted.

An exchange of views took place on the most pressing topics of regional policy and the international agenda.

Priority attention is paid to maintaining interstate dialogue and trusting relations at the highest and high levels.

During the conversation, the head of Turkmenistan thanked the head of the friendly state for his great personal contribution to the development of bilateral relations. The President of Tajikistan, in turn, conveyed warm words of greeting and best wishes to the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, the National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan condemns the armed attack on the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Islamic Republic of Iran on January 27, 2023, as a result of which there are dead and wounded among the staff of the diplomatic mission.

Turkmenistan declares the inadmissibility of attacks on diplomatic missions and the use of any violence against the personnel of diplomatic departments.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan expresses deep condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased, and also wishes a speedy recovery to the injured employees of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Iran.

On January 27, 2023, an official ceremony was held at the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan dedicated to the announcement of 2023 as the “International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace”. The event was held in a hybrid format under the conduction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

The event was attended by representatives of the main bodies of the UN and its specialized agencies and UN member states, international and regional organizations as well as teachers and students of the higher educational institutions of Turkmenistan.

In their speeches, distinguished diplomats thanked the Government of Turkmenistan for its consistent work to promote a culture of peace throughout the world, noting that this International Year has a solid cornerstone: Dialogue for Peace, based on our common belief that true peace cannot be preserved or restored without a constructive exchange of views in good faith and that such open and sincere interactions can indeed promote mutual understanding between peoples.

2023 was declared the "International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace" in accordance with resolution 77/32 of the United Nations General Assembly by the initiative of Turkmenistan. This initiative is directly linked to the "New Peace Agenda" of the UN Secretary General for building peace, which is consonant with the initiative of Turkmenistan to promote the philosophy of "Dialogue as a guarantee of peace".

Before the draft resolution "International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, 2023" was presented, Turkmenistan held extensive consultations with UN member countries, took into account constructive opinions and proposals. The resolution was co-sponsored by 68 member countries of the Organization.

As an official document of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, under agenda item 14 "Culture of Peace", the final document was adopted, which reflects the fundamental goals and principles of the UN Charter, including obligations to resolve disputes by peaceful means and methods..

The Global Initiative “Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace” promoted by Turkmenistan is aimed at consolidating the efforts of the international community in strengthening the traditions of peaceful and trusting coexistence of the peoples of the world, restoring values and worldviews, defining a culture of peace and trust as an integral factor in international relations.

Steadily implementing the policy of peacefulness, good-neighborliness and constructive international cooperation, Turkmenistan consistently expands the geography of interested international partnership and takes an active part in the development of balanced solutions to urgent problems of mankind.

Our national development is becoming a model development at the international level in the coordination of the domestic and foreign policies of the President, which are based on the principle of permanent neutrality.

At the end of the ceremony, the participants expressed their sincere gratitude to the Leader of the Nation and the President for pursuing a policy of peace and friendship in international relations and wished them good health and longevity, success in their noble work, for the sake of a happy life for the people, and prosperity for the country.

27 января 2023 года состоялся телефонный разговор между Президентом Туркменистана Сердаром Бердымухамедовым и Президентом Республики Таджикистан Эмомали Рахмоном.

Главы государств обменялись поздравлениями по случаю 30-летия установления дипломатических отношений между Туркменистаном и Республикой Таджикистан.

Президенты с удовлетворением отметили активное политическое взаимодействие двух стран, успешно укрепляемое как на двустороннем, так и многостороннем уровне, в первую очередь в рамках авторитетных международных и региональных структур.

Наряду с этим стороны позитивно оценили поступательное развитие торгово-экономического сотрудничества, в связи с чем отмечена значимость Межправительственной туркмено-таджикской комиссии по торгово-экономическому и научно-техническому сотрудничеству.

Также была выделена роль плодотворного диалога в культурной, научной и образовательной сферах в деле сближения народов двух стран.

Состоялся обмен мнениями по наиболее актуальным темам региональной политики и международной повестки.

Приоритетное внимание уделено поддержанию межгосударственного диалога и доверительных отношений на высшем и высоком уровнях.

В процессе беседы глава Туркменистана поблагодарил руководителя дружественного государства за большой личный вклад в развитие двусторонних отношений. Президент Таджикистана, в свою очередь, передал тёплые слова приветствия и наилучшие пожелания Председателю Халк Маслахаты Туркменистана, Национальному Лидеру туркменского народа Гурбангулы Бердымухамедову.

Министерство иностранных дел Туркменистана осуждает вооружённое нападение на Посольство Азербайджанской Республики в Исламской Республике Иран, совершённое 27 января 2023 года, в результате которого есть погибший и раненые среди сотрудников дипломатической миссии.

Туркменистан заявляет о недопустимости нападения на дипломатические представительства и применения какого-либо насилия в отношении персонала дипломатических ведомств.

МИД Туркменистана выражает глубокие соболезнования родным и близким погибшего, а также желает скорейшего выздоровления раненым сотрудникам Посольства Азербайджана в Иране.

27 января 2023 года в Институте международных отношений Министерства иностранных дел Туркменистана состоялось официальное мероприятие, посвящённое объявлению 2023 года «Международным годом диалога как гарантии мира». Мероприятие состоялось в гибридном формате при организации Министерства иностранных дел Туркменистана.

В совещании приняли участие представители основных органов ООН и ее специализированных учреждений, государств-членов ООН, международных и региональных организаций, гражданского сообщества, а также преподаватели и студенты вузов Туркменистана.

На мероприятии с торжественной речью выступили руководители и представители органов ООН и ее специализированных учреждений и других региональных организаций:

В своих выступлениях дипломаты благодарили Правительство Туркменистана за его последовательную работу по продвижению культуры мира во всем мире, отметив, что у этого Международного года есть прочный краеугольный камень: Диалог во имя мира, основанный на наших общих убеждениях в том, что подлинный мир не может быть сохранен или восстановлен без конструктивного обмена мнениями в духе доброй воли и, что такие открытые и искренние взаимодействия действительно могут способствовать взаимопониманию между народами.

2023 год был объявлен «Международным годом диалога как гарантии мира» в соответствии с резолюцией 77/32 Генеральной Ассамблеи Организации Объединенных Наций по инициативе Туркменистана. Эта инициатива напрямую связана с «Новой повесткой дня мира» Генерального секретаря ООН, для построения мира, которая созвучна с инициативой Туркменистана о продвижении философии «Диалога как гарантии мира».

Прежде чем был представлен проект резолюции «Международный год диалога как гарантии мира, 2023 год», Туркменистан провел широкие консультации со странами-членами ООН, учёл конструктивные мнения и предложения. Соавторами резолюции выступили 68 стран-членов Организации.

В качестве официального документа 77-й сессии Генеральной Ассамблеи ООН под пунктом 14 повестки дня «Культура мира» был принят Итоговый документ, в котором отражены основополагающие цели и принципы Устава ООН, включающие в себя обязательства по урегулированию споров мирными средствами и методами.

В связи с этим, в Итоговом документе важная роль отводится превентивной дипломатии, в частности отмечается эффективная деятельность Регионального центра ООН по превентивной дипломатии для Центральной Азии в Ашхабаде в целях поддержки усилий мирового сообщества по мирному урегулированию конфликтов в интересах сохранения мира, а также необходимость развития и укрепления инструментов превентивной дипломатии.

Уже запущенная Глобальная кампания во имя Диалога, как гарантии мира, стала наглядным подтверждением того, что Туркменистан, будучи активным членом мирового сообщества, не ограничивается только выдвижением значимых инициатив, направленных на развитие широкого международного сотрудничества, отвечающего коренным интересам всех стран и народов, но и предпринимает последовательные шаги по их практической реализации.

Наше национальное развитие становится модельным развитием на международном уровне в координации внутренней и внешней политики Президента, в основе которых лежит принцип постоянного нейтралитета.

В завершение церемонии, участники выразили Лидеру Нации и Президенту искреннюю признательность за проведение политики мира и дружбы в международных отношениях и пожелали крепкого здоровья и долголетия, успехов в их благородном труде во имя счастливой жизни народа, процветания страны.