Vilnius: Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) Ambassador Ramil Hasan participated in an international panel discussion titled 'Enhancing Cooperation and Connectivity through the Organization of Turkic States - Opportunities for Closer Ties between the Turkic States and the Baltic Region.' The event took place at the Geopolitics and Security Studies Center in Vilnius and was moderated by Ambassador Vytautas Leskevicius, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Center.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the panel featured notable participants including Deputy Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) Dr. €š¬‚¬Å“mer Kocaman, Member of the TURKPA Commission on Legal Affairs and International Relations Javanshir Feyziyev, and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Taurimas Valys. Organized through the initiative of the Embassies of Azerbaijan and Trkiye in Lithuania, the event also saw attendance from the Ambassadors of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Trkiye to Lithuania, alongside representatives from strategic research centers and officials from Lithuania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The discussions centered on promoting the Organization of Turkic States and fostering relations between the Baltic and Turkic regions. Ambassador Hasan highlighted the pivotal role of Baltic states as a connecting gateway and the importance of energy security facilitated by OTS member states, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, through Trkiye. He emphasized the strategic positioning of the Turkic region as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
Ambassador Hasan also referenced the evolving relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, noting the completion of initial steps towards a peace agreement and the potential for new economic and energy initiatives in the South Caucasus and Baltic regions. He underscored the significance of the Rail Baltica project in enhancing the Baltic region's connectivity with Eurasian corridors.
Concluding his address, the Secretary General discussed the adoption of TURKPA's Model laws, which aim to harmonize legislation and accelerate economic integration among Turkic countries. He expressed optimism about future cooperation with organizations like the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and highlighted the expected growth in partnership with the Baltic Assembly, foreseeing significant mutual benefits from joint projects.