― 3 октября 2024 г.

Turkic States' Cooperation Day celebrated in Ankara

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement and the ‘Turkic States Cooperation Day’, the Organisation of Turkic States (OST) organized a panel on the ‘Current Status and Future Prospects of Turkic Cooperation’ in Ankara.

Panelists who took the floor at the event were the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliyev, the President of the Turkic Investment Fund Mr. Baghdad Amreyev, the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) Mehmet Süreyya Er, the President of the Turkic Academy Prof. Dr. Şahin Mustafayev, the President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Mrs. Aktoty Raimkulova, the Deputy Secretary General of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) Mr. Sayit Yusuf and the Secretary General of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mr. Adem Kula.

In the opening speech he delivered at the panel, Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliyev expressed his honour to have come together at a panel organised on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement, which established the Organisation of Turkic States.

Briefly touching upon the history of the establishment of the Organisation of Turkic States, Ambassador Omuraliyev said: "This cooperation started long before the establishment of the Organisation of Turkic Cooperation. Indeed, our leaders had come together in a summit of Turkic-speaking countries in the early 1990ies as a result of their common vision to create a framework that would bring our peoples together, encourage mutual understanding and increase cooperation on a wide range of issues. This vision took another important step in 2009 with the signature of the Nakhchivan Agreement officially marking the establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking countries."’

Mr. Amreyev, the President of the Turkic Investment Fund, stated his pleasure and pride to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement and added that this agreement establishing the Turkic Council paved the way towards the establishment of a united Turkic World for the first time in history. Mr. Amreyev who further stressed that this agreement is an important milestone, not only in the history of Turkic states but also in the lives of their peoples, added that the agreement laid the foundation for the institutionalisation of cooperation among Turkic States.

The Secretary General of TURKPA Mr. Mehmet Süreyya Er who also took the floor at the panel said that the cooperation between Turkic states is a legacy of their ancestors and that the future of this cooperation is ensured through the strength of common lineage, roots and values. Also stating that this cooperation has not only deepened but also become institutionalised and enriched in various respects, Mr. Er said that each country has added additional strength to the Organization.
Emphasising that the Nakhchivan Agreement laid the ground for institutional cooperation at the highest level in the Turkic World Mr. Er also said that TURKPA will pursue its efforts to carry this cooperation further.

The President of the Turkic Academy Prof. Dr. Mustafayev said that thanks to the coordination and synergy developed among Turkic cooperation organisations, strong steps are being further taken towards the goals set in the Vision Document of the Turkic World for 2040 aiming at a more integrated Turkic World. Referring to the work carried out by the Turkic Academy and its achievements in the Turkic World as well as the common alphabet thereof, Mr. Mustafayev said: ‘We are preparing terminology dictionaries for different fields in order to facilitate communication and determine common Turkic terms.’

The President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation Mrs. Aktoty Raimkulova who also said a few words at the panel stressed that the Foundation aims at the establishment of Turkic Heritage Centres in member states as well as other countries, thus promoting academic cooperation, supporting research and facilitating cultural exchanges and the sharing of experience and knowledge.

In the speech he delivered at the event, TURKSOY Deputy Secretary General Yusuf stressed that many Turkic states were established throughout the history of mankind and that these great civilisations left a very rich cultural heritage behind, making a strong contribution to the enrichment of the common cultural heritage of humanity. Noting that TURKSOY was established in order to preserve this legacy of our ancestors and to promote Turkic culture worldwide Mr. Yusuf said that TURKSOY further pursues its activities in line with this mission and added that: “‘Established in 1993 with the will of our leaders, TURKSOY has successfully fulfilled the task of fostering cultural interaction in the Turkic World and it further pursues its activities in this direction. In this respect, let me also note with great pleasure that, in its activities, TURKSOY is working in close coordination with cooperation organisations of the Turkic World, more particularly with the OTS.” Pointing out that cooperation in the Turkic World started in 1993 with the establishment of TURKSOY, Deputy Secretary General Yusuf noted that our peoples and states have become closer to each other through cultural bridges built among them by the Organisation. Mr. Yusuf who also stated that the OTS has carried out many activities within the 15 years elapsed since the signature of the Nakhchivan Agreement and continues to do so, further added that: “Today, the Organisation of Turkic States has become one of the most important organisations strengthening cultural, economic and political cooperation among our peoples. The Nakhchivan Agreement has fostered solidarity among Turkic states and provided them with a new platform of cooperation in the Turkic World. Throughout this process, major joint organisations have been established, each of which will fill the existing gaps in its own field of activities.”

Taking the floor at the panel organized by the OTS on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement and the “Cooperation Day of Turkic States”, Mr. Adem Kula, the Secretary General of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointed out that Turkic states have made great progress in terms of the achievements of the OTS, and stated that the customs' union and free trade agreements within the scope of the OTS are the most important priorities for the business world.

The panel discussion as followed by a reception on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Agreement, which established the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), and initiated the “Cooperation Day of Turkic States”.

The reception held in a hotel in Ankara gathered the Minister of Internel Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Mr. Ali Yerlikaya, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Nuh Yılmaz, the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Mr. Kubanychbek Omuraliyev, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Mr. Alibek Bakayev, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Mr. Elnur Mammadov and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Mr. Aybek Moldogaziev as well as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Mr. Babür Usmanov, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Ankara H. E. Mr. Reshad Memmedov, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Ankara H. E. Mr. Yerkebulan Sapiyev, the Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Ankara H. E. Mr. Ruslan Kazakbaev, the Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Ankara H. E. Mr. Mekan Ishanguliyev and the Ambassador of the TRNC to Ankara H. E. Mr. Ismet Korukoğlu along with representatives of various diplomatic missions.

A delegation headed by the Deputy Secretary General of TURKSOY Mr. Sayit Yusuf and composed of country representatives of TURKSOY was also present at the reception.