Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azbulis, whose country currently holds the rotating OSCE chairmanship, visited Turkmenistan and urged Turkmen officials to lift restrictions for registering nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
Azbulis said there was no prospect of building democracy in Turkmenistan unless there was cooperation between the state and activists.
There are no genuine NGOs in Turkmenistan as the government has worked assiduously to prevent any opposition to the state.
Azbulis did thank Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov for his country's help in stabilizing the situation in neighboring Afghanistan.
Turkmenistan has helped by supplying neighboring Afghan regions with fuel and electricity.
compiled from agency reports
Azbulis said there was no prospect of building democracy in Turkmenistan unless there was cooperation between the state and activists.
There are no genuine NGOs in Turkmenistan as the government has worked assiduously to prevent any opposition to the state.
Azbulis did thank Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov for his country's help in stabilizing the situation in neighboring Afghanistan.
Turkmenistan has helped by supplying neighboring Afghan regions with fuel and electricity.
compiled from agency reports
