Foreign relations of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan's declaration of "permanent neutrality" was formally recognized by the United Nations in 1995. Former President Nyýazow stated that the neutrality would prevent Turkmenistan from participating in multi-national defense organizations, but allows military assistance. Its neutral foreign policy has an important place in the country's constitution. Although the Government of Turkmenistan claims to favour trade with and export to the United States, and Turkey, its single largest commercial partner is China, which buys the vast bulk of Turkmen natural gas via the Central Asia–China gas pipeline. Turkmenistan has significant commercial relationships with Russia and Iran and growing cross-border trade with Afghanistan. The Government of Turkmenistan often appears to use the conflicting interests of these regional powers as a means to extract concessions, especially on energy issues.

International disputes

Signing of the Caspian Sea convention in 2018 brought only partial resolution of boundary disputes in the Caspian. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have disputes over water-sharing. Turkmenistan shares a long border with Afghanistan, a principal producer of heroin and opium. As a result, a large volume of narcotics are trafficked through Turkmenistan on their way to lucrative markets in Europe and Russia.

Natural resources

Turkmenistan is rich in natural gas, and currently sells most of its gas to China. Turkmenistan unilaterally cut off exports of pipeline natural gas to Iran in 2017 over a payment arrears dispute. Russia ceased buying gas from Turkmenistan in 2016, but resumed small purchases of pipeline gas in 2019. Afghanistan buys liquid petroleum gas, shipped by rail to Ymamnazar and Torghundi for onward delivery by truck. Pakistan provides Turkmenistan warm water as well as Iran and Russia.

Turkmenistan is a partner country of the EU INOGATE energy programme, which has four key topics: enhancing energy security,

convergence of member state energy markets on the basis of EU internal energy market principles,

supporting sustainable energy development, and attracting investment for energy projects of common and regional interest.

Organisations

Turkmenistan is a member of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Economic Cooperation Organization, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the International Organization of Turkic Culture.

Turkmenistan maintains permanent representatives to the United Nations offices in New York City, Vienna, and Geneva.

The United Nations maintains a permanent representation staffed by a resident coordinator along with representatives of some UN agencies in Ashgabat. The Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and European Union have missions in Ashgabat, as well.

According to the European Commission's website, as of 2025, "A Partnership and Cooperation Agreement concluded with Turkmenistan in 1998 is yet to be ratified by all EU Member States. Pending ratification, an Interim Agreement on trade and trade-related matters entered into force on 1 August 2010. Other areas of cooperation remain based on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed with the Soviet Union in 1989 and subsequently endorsed by Turkmenistan."

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Turkmenistan maintains diplomatic relations with:

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! colspan="3" |frameless|425x425px

!Country

!Date

|10

|11

|12

|13

|14

|15

|16

|17

|18

|19

|20

|—

|21

|22

|23

|24

|25

|26

|27

|28

|29

|30

|31

|32

|33

|34

|35

|36

|37

|38

|39

|40

|41

|42

|43

|44

|45

|46

|47

|48

|49

|50

|51

|52

|53

|54

|55

|56

|57

|58

|59

|60

|61

|62

|63

|64

|65

|66

|67

|68

|69

|70

|71

|72

|73

|74

|75

|76

|77

|78

|79

|80

|81

|82

|83

|84

|85

|86

|87

|88

|89

|90

|91

|92

|93

|94

|95

|—

|96

|97

|98

|99

|100

|101

|102

|103

|104

|105

|106

|107

|108

|109

|110

|111

|112

|113

|114

|115

|116

|117

|118

|119

|120

|121

|122

|—

|123

|124

|125

|126

|127

|128

|159

Bilateral relations

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%; margin:auto;"

! style="width:15%;"| Country

! style="width:12%;"| Formal Relations Began

!Notes

|- valign="top"

|||21 February 1992||

See Afghanistan–Turkmenistan relations

Afghanistan has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consulate in Mary. Turkmenistan has an embassy in Kabul plus consulates in Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif. This line is planned to be extended to Herat, where it could potentially connect to a rail line under construction from Khaf, Iran. The line to Andkhoy went into service in January 2021.

In 2013, work began on a link from Kerki via Ymamnazar on the Turkmen-Afghan border to Aqina in Andkhoy District. This link was opened in November 2016. It was extended 38 km to Andkhoy in January 2021, and is intended eventually to become part of a railway corridor through northern Afghanistan, linking it via Sherkhan Bandar, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kunduz to Tajikistan.

As of 1 April 2011, there were 44 enterprises with Afghan assets in Turkmenistan.

Though Turkmenistan has not recognized the Taliban's state, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, it has facilitated the Taliban's appointment of diplomats to the Afghan Embassy in Ashgabat. The current chargé d'affaires is Fazal Muhammad Sabir, appointed in March 2022.

|- valign="top"

|||24 March 1994||

Both countries established diplomatic relations on March 24, 1994.

|- valign="top"

|||9 October 1992||See Armenia–Turkmenistan relations

Formal relations were established in 1992
Armenia has an embassy in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan has an embassy in Yerevan.
Both countries are full members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
There are between 30,000 and 44,000 people of Armenian descent living in Turkmenistan.

|- valign="top"

|||16 October 1992||See Austria–Turkmenistan relations

Turkmenistan has an embassy in Vienna, which doubles as the permanent mission to United Nations agencies in Vienna.

|- valign="top"

|||9 June 1992||See Azerbaijan–Turkmenistan relations

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Despite close linguistic affinities (Turkmen and Azerbaijani are about 65 percent mutually intelligible), Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan suffer from a strained relationship, in part because Turkmenistan is majority Sunni and Azerbaijan is majority Shi'a. Nonetheless the two countries have begun to cooperate more in commercial spheres, most notably with signing of a memorandum in 2020 on joint exploitation of the cross-boundary Serdar oil field in the Caspian.

|- valign="top"

||| 21 January 1993||See Belarus–Turkmenistan relations

Formal relations were established in 1993
Belarus has an embassy in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan has an embassy in Minsk.

Roughly 12,000 to 13,000 Turkmen university students are matriculated annually in Belarusian institutions of higher education.

|- valign="top"

|||11 September 1996||

The countries established diplomatic relations on 11 September 1996.

|- valign="top"

|||6 March 1992||See France–Turkmenistan relations

Diplomatic relations were established with the March 6, 1992 signing of the Protocol. The French construction company Bouygues, the second-largest in Turkmenistan, has signed many construction contracts. The French company Thales Alenia Space constructed the first space satellite TürkmenÄlem 52°E / MonacoSAT.

France has an embassy in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan has an embassy in Paris.

|- valign="top"

|||8 July 1992||

Georgia has an embassy in Ashgabat, and Turkmenistan has an embassy in Tbilisi.

|- valign="top"

|||6 March 1992||

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Turkmenistan have a consulate in Frankfurt am Main. Two German banks, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, have offices in Ashgabat, since much of Turkmenistan's foreign exchange accounts are held in those two German banks. Such German firms as Siemens and Claas have made significant sales of medical and agricultural equipment, respectively, to Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan Air offers scheduled service to Frankfurt am Main.

|- valign="top"

|||11 June 1997||

Both countries established diplomatic relations on June 11, 1997. Iran was the second nation to recognize Turkmenistan as an independent nation. Since then, the two countries have cooperated in the economic, infrastructure, and energy sectors. The $139 million Körpeje-Kordkuy gas pipeline in western Turkmenistan and the $167 million Dostluk ("friendship" in Turkmen) Dam in the south of the country were built through a joint venture. The Caspian Sea territorial boundaries are a cause of tension between the two. Iran's Islamic theocracy and Turkmenistan's secular dictatorship also prevent the development of a closer friendship.

|- valign="top"

|||8 October 1993 ||

Israel has an embassy in Ashgabat.

|- valign="top"

||| 9 June 1992 ||

Italy and Turkmenistan have embassies in each other's capitals. The Turkmen ambassador in Rome is also accredited to the United Nations agencies there, and to the Holy See. The relationship is dominated by the presence of Italian petroleum firm Eni, which operates oil wells in the Caspian Sea under a production sharing agreement.

|- valign="top"

|||22 April 1992||

Diplomatic relations between Japan and Turkmenistan were established in April 1992. Japan opened an embassy at Ashgabat in January 2005, and Turkmenistan opened an embassy in Tokyo in May 2013. Japan is heavily involved in operation of the Oguz Han Engineering Technology University in Ashgabat. The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has financed several major industrial projects in Turkmenistan, including plants constructed with participation of Kawasaki and Sumitomo.

|- valign="top"

|||5 October 1992||See Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan relations

Kazakhstan has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consulate in Turkmenbashy.
Turkmenistan has an embassy in Astana and a consulate in Aqtau.
During a meeting in October 2023, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan released a statement affirming their strategic partnership and cooperation. Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mūrat Nūrtıleu and Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Raşit Meredow issued the statement during a meeting in Ashgabat on 30 October 2023.

|- valign="top"

|||5 October 1992 ||See Kyrgyzstan–Turkmenistan relations

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals.

|- valign="top"

|||8 December 1992||

Libya maintains an economic and commercial office rather than an embassy in Ashgabat.

|- valign="top"

||| 17 May 1992 ||See Malaysia-Turkmenistan relations

Turkmen-Malaysian relations mainly revolve around the work of the Malaysian state petroleum corporation, Petronas, which extracts petroleum condensate in the Caspian Sea. Turkmenistan Airlines offers scheduled service between Ashgabat and Kuala Lumpur.

|- valign="top"

|||27 March 1992||

Mexico is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
Turkmenistan is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.

|- valign="top"

|||||

Netherlands is represented in Turkmenistan through its embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Turkmenistan is represented in Netherlands through its embassy in Brussels, Belgium.

|- valign="top"

|||21 June 1996||

The countries established diplomatic relations on June 21, 1996.

|||17 April 1992||

Palestine has an embassy in Ashgabat.

|- valign="top"

|||29 September 1992||See Poland–Turkmenistan relations

Poland is represented in Turkmenistan through its embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Turkmenistan is represented in Poland through its embassy in Berlin, Germany.

|- valign="top"

|||22 November 1996||

Qatar has an embassy in Ashgabat. Turkmenistan has no permanent diplomatic representation in Doha

|- valign="top"

||| 21 July 1992||

The two countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Romania's primary interest is development of the Lapis Lazuli corridor, which would use Romanian seaports on the Black Sea.

|- valign="top"

|||8 April 1992||See Russia–Turkmenistan relations

Russia has an embassy in Ashgabat and a consular office in Türkmenbaşy.||

Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Ashgabat, and Turkmenistan has an embassy in Riyadh.

|- valign="top"

|||||

Slovakia is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Turkmenistan is accredited to Slovakia from its embassy in Vienna, Austria.

|- valign="top"

|||7 February 1992||See South Korea–Turkmenistan relations

Diplomatic relations were established on February 7, 1992. The countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Turkish firms Çalık Holding, Polimeks, Rönesans, GAP Inşaat and Tepe Inşaat have garnered billions of dollars of construction contracts since 1992.

|- valign="top"

|||10 October 1992||

Ukraine and Turkmenistan have embassies in each other's capitals.

The UK is accredited to Turkmenistan through its embassy in Ashgabat.

Both countries share common membership of the OSCE. Bilaterally the two countries have a Development Partnership, a Double Taxation Convention, and an Investment Agreement.

|- valign="top"

|||10 April 1992||See Turkmenistan–United States relations

The United States and Turkmenistan continue to disagree about the latter country's path toward democratic and economic reform. The United States has publicly advocated industrial and agricultural privatization, market liberalization, and fiscal reform, as well as legal and regulatory reforms to open up the economy to foreign trade and investment, as the best way to achieve prosperity and true independence and sovereignty.

Turkmenistan has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and a mission to the United Nations in New York City. The Turkmen ambassador is accredited to Canada and Mexico, as well.
A United States embassy, including a USAID country office, is located in Ashgabat.

|- valign="top"

|||7 February 1993||See Turkmenistan–Uzbekistan relations

Turkmenistan has an embassy in Tashkent.
Uzbekistan has an embassy in Ashgabat.

|- valign="top"

||| 30 April 1996