Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States convened in Istanbul

Hosted by H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye and Chairman-in-Office of the OTS, the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in Istanbul on 17 October 2022.

The Meeting  was attended by H.E. Binali Yildirim, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the OTS, H.E. Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mukhtar Tileuberdi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Zheenbek Kulubaev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Vladimir Norov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Péter Sztáray, State Secretary for Security Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, H.E. Baghdad Amreyev, Secretary General of the OTS and H.E. Mekan İshanguliyev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Türkiye.

The participants extended their condolences due to the human losses as a result of tragic explosion that took place in the coal mine in Bartin city of Türkiye and wished speedy recovery to all injured.
The Ministers discussed the preparation and the agenda of the upcoming Summit of the Heads of States of the Organization of Turkic States to be held in Samarkand on 11 November 2022 and exchanged views on pressing issues on the OTS agenda.

The Ministers highlighted that the upcoming Samarkand Summit will be an important milestone in further advancing the program of the OTS as well as another historical step towards strengthening the unity of the Turkic World.

They reviewed a number of important documents including the Organization of Turkic States’ Strategy for 2022-2026, draft Protocol on amendments to Nakchivan Agreement and other key documents to be signed during the Summit.

Secretary General Baghdad Amreyev delivered a report on the agenda of the upcoming Samarkand Summit and indicated his belief that the upcoming Summit will be the major Turkic political gathering of the year which will serve to further advancing the multifaceted relations among the OTS Member States in many important areas and deepening the Turkic integration.

He also briefed the Ministers on the finalization of the Establishment Agreement of the Turkic Investment Fund that will be an important joint financial instrument of the OTS Member States and will contribute to the long-term goals of the Organization that has been set for economic and trade relations among the Member States.
The Secretary General also informed the Ministers of the results of the 6th Meeting of Ministers in charge of Youth and Sports of the OTS held on 30 September 2022 in Bursa on the margins of the 4th World Nomad Games and their initiative to create of an affiliated intergovernmental institution under the umbrella of the OTS, which will be responsible for the sports agenda of the Organization.

Secretary General Amreyev noted that the upcoming Summit agenda will focus on advancing economic cooperation with the following measures:
a) Creating favorable conditions to facilitate mutual trade and investment and accelerating cooperation in the digital economy,
b) Generating favorable conditions and simplifying administrative procedures to render the Trans-Caspian International East-West Middle Corridor a more efficient, sustainable and seamless route,
c) Signing of “Agreement on International Combined Freight Transport” and developing the Transport Connectivity Program,
d) Fostering multidimensional connectivity with the sectoral approach: enhancing tourism potential, intensifying energy collaboration, strengthening agricultural cooperation and ensuring food security.
e) Enhancing effective mechanisms for strengthening the role of science, technology and innovation in regional cooperation.
The Ministers also exchanged views on the repercussions of recent political developments in the region and underlined the importance of close cooperation to effectively tackle these challenges and better utilize new opportunities to the benefit of the Member and Observer States of the OTS.