Turkmen foreign policy in the post-Niyazov era

Since the death of S.A. Niyazov, a large number of international observers began to look with growing interest at G.M. Berdymuhammedov’s foreign policy, speculating whether the new Turkmen President would promote a significant shift from the policy strategy of his predecessor. More particularly, the international community expected the new Turkmen leadership to reshape three key foreign policy areas:1

• The interpretation and implementation of the Doctrine of Positive Neutrality;

• Turkmenistan’s energy strategy; • The relationship with the Russian Federation.