Century of Türkiye is Century of Turkic world: Cavusoglu

Top diplomats from Turkic countries have come together at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum to discuss the importance of enhancing integration and cooperation in the Turkic world.

"We see the Century of Türkiye as the Century of the Turkic world as well," said Mevlut Cavusoglu, chairman of the Turkish delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and former Turkish foreign minister, as he addressed the Forum on Friday.

"In the 21st century, the Turkic world can leave its mark with both its organisation and concrete steps. We must believe in this. We will continue to work in this direction," he added, speaking during the ”Institutionalisation in the Turkic World: OTS in the 21st Century” panel.

Cavusoglu emphasised the need for a strong Turkic geopolitics in the region, both for stable and uninterrupted trade between Asia and Europe and for addressing the root causes of various regional threats and issues.

“OTS aims not only for the welfare of its members but also for the stability and security of our region. OTS does not see any country as a rival. OTS has no hidden agenda. All decisions taken are transparently," Cavusoglu said.

"OTS is not in competition with the world or other international organisations. We must work harder to strengthen our integration and continue our concrete steps for the cooperation and stability of the region," he added, asserting that the organisation’s strength implies stability and security beyond the region as well.

He highlighted significant steps taken toward integration among OTS countries and expressed Ankara’s desire to see Turkmenistan as a full member.

New horizons for cooperation

Murat Nurtleu, Kazakhstan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, also attended the panel and expressed his country’s support for Türkiye's integration initiatives in the Turkic world.

Emphasising their common culture, religion, language, and traditions, Nurtleu encouraged the Turkic nations to establish stronger bonds and build more resilient economies.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov echoed this sentiment.

Addressing the importance of regional institutionalisation and cooperation amid global crises, he recalled President Ilham Aliyev's statement during his inauguration after being reelected: "Our family is the Turkic world."

Bayramov also highlighted Türkiye's success as a source of pride for the entire Turkic world and noted the significant interest in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, attributing it to the success and influence of Turkish diplomacy.

In his address to the panel, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bahtiyar Saidov also emphasised the importance of OTS's institutionalisation in the context of fundamental global changes.

"Our relations are opening up new horizons for cooperation. We are entering a new era... of practical cooperation. The doors to our long-term initiatives have not yet opened," he said.

Saidov also underscored the importance of expanding economic relations and developing investment projects among OTS countries.

Along the same lines, Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Ceenbek Kulubayev said the "Turk Investment Fund will also facilitate the development of economic relations."

Emphasising the need for the development of transportation infrastructure, Kulubayev highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation by connecting Eurasian transportation corridors.

He stressed that Turkic states are now moving in the same direction and cooperation will continue.