The Organization of Turkic States Meets

Written by Allan Millward | November 19, 2023

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The tenth summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held on November 3^rd in Astana, Kazakhstan. Established in 2009 as the Turkish Council before adopting its present name and form in 2021, the OTS seeks to promote “comprehensive cooperation among Turkic States.” The group consists of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan with Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the disputed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus serving as observers. Ukraine, through its deputy foreign minister, has also expressed interest in becoming an observer. While initially little more than a platform for dialogue on domestic and international issues, the OTS has grown into an avenue to advance trade and economic cooperation between its member states. It also serves as both a tool through which Turkey, under Erdogan, can advance its interests and an opportunity for Central Asian states like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan to wean themselves off of reliance on Russia and China.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev, who was hosting the summit, welcomed Erdogan by congratulating him on the October 29^th centennial anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Tokayev also took the more controversial step of congratulating Azerbaijani President Aliyev for “strengthening Azerbaijan’s statehood…in accordance with the UN Charter and the UN Security Council’s resolution.” This was interpreted by many as a reference to Azerbaijan taking full control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The summit concluded with the signing of several documents including a joint declaration on cooperation between member states and a road map on the implementation of transportation communication for 2023-2027. Tokayev was quoted as saying, “We have followed the will of our ancestors and strengthened the unity of the brotherly nations. Our goal now is to preserve our unity based on mutual trust and brotherhood and pass it over to the generations to come…. The widening of the cooperation between the Turkic nations is now our common goal.”