Baku: Integration within the Turkic world has entered a new phase in recent years, with Azerbaijan serving as a key player in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Relations that were once solely based on shared historical and cultural ties now extend into strategic domains such as security, energy, transport, investment, and political coordination.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, President Ilham Aliyev, while receiving security officials of OTS member states on September 17, highlighted the active interaction among the Turkic states. He noted that regular meetings in various areas within the organization signify robust cooperation. President Aliyev pointed out that he had recently met with religious leaders of OTS member states, followed by a gathering of the organization's security council secretaries in Baku for their fifth meeting. This, he stated, is a testament to the high international standing of the OTS.
Baku's role as a hub for political dialogue and coordination within the OTS is underscored by the hosting of high-level meetings on religious and spiritual affairs and security in quick succession. The organization's agenda is expanding beyond historical and cultural links, with issues discussed in various formats encompassing international affairs, security, multiculturalism, trade, transport, and humanitarian cooperation.
President Aliyev emphasized that a strategic objective of the OTS is to bolster its influence on the international stage. The member states, he noted, share a unified stance on enhancing the OTS's role globally, leveraging their substantial and growing potential.
To achieve this, Azerbaijan is fostering political contacts within the OTS. Regular summits and the establishment of an informal summit format, initiated by Azerbaijan and first held in Shusha, exemplify these efforts. President Aliyev remarked that the informal summits address the need for more frequent gatherings beyond the annual meetings at the head-of-state level.
Azerbaijan's approach to the OTS is not merely multilateral but also focused on deepening bilateral alliances with member states. Alliance documents have been signed with Trkiye, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, forming a political and legal foundation for these relationships. President Aliyev reiterated that Azerbaijan's foreign policy prioritizes the Turkic world as its main focus.
Azerbaijan's geographical location and infrastructure enhance its importance within the OTS, serving as a connectivity hub linking Central Asia with the South Caucasus and Trkiye. President Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan's position is crucial for implementing transport and energy security projects, which are integral to overall security.
The OTS is strengthened by the shared ethnic roots, languages, cultures, and spiritual values of its member states, complementing political and economic interests with historical ties. Azerbaijan's policy toward the OTS integrates political coordination, security, energy and transport connectivity, investment, humanitarian cooperation, and shared cultural values.
President Aliyev concluded by outlining the future direction for the OTS: joint efforts to enhance cooperation, closer ties among member states, and elevating the OTS's role on the international stage. Azerbaijan's activities within the OTS aim to foster closer integration of the Turkic world, with Baku acting as a central platform for this process. The goal is to harness existing potential into a unified force, expanding the OTS's influence globally.
Source: Azeri-Press News Agency