Turkmenistan to host UN forum

Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Oct. 29 / Trend , H.Hasanov / UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Central Asia Saber Azam is on a visit to Ashgabat, the Turkmen government said on Saturday. Azam held a series of meetings at the parliament, Foreign Ministry and State Migration Service of Turkmenistan. "Mr.Azam voiced the UN's great interest to continue the long-running effective partnerships to further implement the UN conventions on human rights," the report reads. The Turkmen government also reported that Ashgabat will host in 2012 an international meeting to study Turkmenistan's experience in granting the citizenship to refugees and stateless persons. The event will be held in collaboration with the UNHCR. Turkmen President Gurbangulu Berdimuhammedov had recently signed a decree. As a result more than 1,700 people obtained the Turkmen citizenship. Over 1,500 people obtained the Turkmen citizenship in July. According to the official data, about 40,000 stateless persons live in Central Asia.