Strategy and Challenges for Turkmenistan’s participation in the Central Asia Integration

Abstract

After gaining independence, Turkmenistan actively pursued the status of a "permanently neutral state", aiming to leverage a neutral foreign policy for enhanced stability and peace in Central Asia.Turkmenistan has formulated distinct engagement policies at various stages of Central Asian integration, ensuring the country's flexible position in the region based on national interests, neutrality, and the decisions of the supreme Leader. However, Turkmenistan encounters significant practical obstacles in engaging in Central Asian integration due to the uncertain prospects of regional integration and its unitary economic structure. If Turkmenistan can sustain its engagement, strategically adjust its foreign policy, and optimize its economic reforms, it will be able to assume a more significant role in the process of Central Asian integration.