Ashgabat, 4 August 2005 (nCa) --- President of Turkmenistan signed a landmark series of decrees and resolutions Thursday, granting citizenship rights to more than 16000 immigrants and refugees living on the territory of Turkmenistan.

According to the presidential decision, the following categories of persons have been granted the citizenship rights:

- Former citizens of Tajikistan, representing different nationalities but mostly ethnic Turkmens, who were uprooted from their country as a consequence of the civil war in the 1990’s.

- Persons living on the Turkmen territory that was formerly temporarily rented to Uzbekistan.

- Those persons who migrated to Turkmenistan for permanent residence because of family or other reasons.

The decision by the government of Turkmenistan to give citizenship rights to such a large number of refugees and immigrants is another indicator that Turkmenistan is following a broad range of policies aimed at promoting peace and harmony in the world.

For more than a decade, Turkmenistan has continued to cooperate with UNHCR, IOM and other international organizations and world governments to help solve civil conflicts in the region and provide relief to refugees and displaced persons.

In addition to accepting refugees from the neighbouring countries, Turkmenistan provided assistance in resolving the armed conflicts in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

President Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan has sent a message to the newly accepted citizens of the country, expressing confidence that they would actively participate in the construction and strengthening of the independent and neutral Turkmenistan.

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