Foreign

APA News Agency interviewed Mr. Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States

Azerbaijan's chairmanship will play an important role in shaping the next stage of OTS development

– As the chairmanship of the OTS passes from Kyrgyzstan to Azerbaijan, how do you assess the prospects of Azerbaijan’s tenure in terms of further enhancing the organization’s international standing and expanding its membership?

– On 7 October 2025, Azerbaijan will host the next OTS Summit on the theme of “Regional Peace and Security” and assume the Organization’s chairmanship. The transition of the chairmanship from Kyrgyzstan to Azerbaijan brings great opportunities for the entire Organization, as during each chairmanship, our countries define priority areas and work towards the better improvement of their multilateral relations and deep-rooted ties.

Under the successful chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan, the OTS witnessed an increasing volume of activities, the establishment of new platforms, and the accomplishment of a wide range of tasks assigned by the Heads of State. This active and productive period has significantly contributed to consolidating the Organization’s institutional capacity and visibility, setting a strong foundation for the next stage of growth.

Since 2022, the Organization has entered a dynamic expanding stage, marked by widening partnerships, the launch of flagship initiatives, and the growing interest of other states and institutions in engaging with the OTS. In this context, I am confident that Azerbaijan’s chairmanship during the next one year will play a crucial role in guiding this growth and shaping the next phase of the Organization’s development.

Looking at the motto of the upcoming Summit — Regional Peace and Security — we can foresee that Azerbaijan’s chairmanship will give particular importance to this issue. Azerbaijan has laid the basis for peace by liberating its territories in 2020 and 2023, thereby opening a new chapter in regional stability and security. The recent meeting between Azerbaijan and Armenia held in Washington, which resulted in the signing of the Washington Agreements, has further strengthened hopes for a lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus.

Considering Azerbaijan’s strategic location as a bridge in the Turkic World, political weight, economic potential, and its growing role in regional and global affairs, we are confident that under its chairmanship, the OTS will become an even stronger and more visible player globally.

The strong political will of H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and his personal commitment to the idea of Turkic unity, provide a solid foundation for further consolidation. Notably, during his inauguration on 14 February 2024, President Aliyev underlined: “The Organization of Turkic States is our fundamental international organization. Because it is our family. Our family is the Turkic world. We have no other family”. His words vividly reflect Azerbaijan’s determination to strengthen the OTS and elevate it as an influential force on the world stage.

We also expect that during Azerbaijan’s chairmanship, special focus will be placed on expanding cooperation in key areas such as the economy, transport, energy, and many more. We are confident that Azerbaijan’s leadership will give additional momentum to implementing our shared initiatives in these fields, helping the OTS grow stronger and more cohesive while deepening its international engagement.

The 12th Summit in Gabala will be an important event for our organization

– What will be the key topics of discussion at the upcoming OTS Summit to be hosted in Azerbaijan?

– The 12th Summit in Gabala will be a milestone event for our Organization. The agenda reflects a broad and coordinated approach to strengthening cooperation across political, economic, cultural, security, and other spheres. Among the key topics are the adoption of the Gabala Declaration, the signing other important documents which set the direction for future initiatives that foster unity and mutual support among Turkic states.

The agenda of the Summit will include discussions on regular political and security consultations on regional and international issues, taking into account evolving geopolitical and security challenges and reinforcing joint responses through a shared strategic vision; the activities of the Turkic Investment Fund as the first joint financial institution of the OTS.

Strengthening transport and digital connectivity will be another major topic, including the development of the Middle Corridor, the Zangazur Corridor, the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway, and the Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan–China route. Special attention will be given to the joint project to design and manufacture the 12U OTS-SAT Cube Satellite under the OTS flag, as well as other initiatives in the fields of science, technology, and digitalization.

In addition, the leaders will address issues of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including the launch of the Joint Museum Card, the development of the Union of Turkic Ski Resorts, the expansion of tourism exchanges and joint promotion in international markets, as well as the strengthening of educational programs such as TURKUNIB and the Orhun Exchange Program. All these initiatives are aimed at further deepening cooperation, consolidating the common identity of the Turkic peoples, and positioning the OTS as an influential actor on the international stage.

We welcome the increase in cooperation in the Turkic world

We are happy to see the growing cooperation in the Turkic world. Currently, we have an ecosystem of Turkic cooperation with the participation of the brotherly Turkic Cooperation Organizations under the coordination of the OTS. Uzbekistan decided to become a member of the TCHF, and the TRNC was designated as an Observer of the Turkic Academy at the Budapest Informal Summit on 21 May 2025. In the same vein, Turkmenistan will become Observer at the Turkic Academy and the TCHF in the Gabala Summit, which will widen and deepen the Turkic cooperation further. Strengthening TURKSOY would be on the agenda of the Summit too.

Discussions will additionally focus on consolidating institutional capacity, enhancing organizational effectiveness, and supporting sustainable growth within the OTS framework. Budget and staff increase will be an important topic of the summit since ensuring the enhancement of the capacity of the Secretariat and hence the Organization as a whole in the face of the increasing workload for the Secretariat and rising reputation of the Organization in international arena has been high on our agenda for a while.   

Overall, this Summit is designed not only to reaffirm our commitment to regional peace and security but also to accelerate integration, enhance economic and cultural ties, and position the Organization of Turkic States as a more influential actor on the global stage.

The realization of the Trump route will give an additional boost to the success of the Central Corridor initiative

– On August 8, a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia was initialed in Washington with the mediation of the President of the United States. How does the OTS evaluate the Washington agreements and the opportunities created by TRIPP (the Trump Path Initiative)?

– We welcome the signing of the Joint Declaration between Azerbaijan and Armenia in August 2025, in Washington, under the mediation of the President of the United States, as well as the initialing of the Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Inter-State Relations. This important step demonstrates the resolve of both sides to move beyond the legacy of conflict and to build a future based on cooperation and mutual respect. The constructive engagement of the United States played a key role in creating the conditions for this achievement. We regard this development as a historic milestone not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia but for the entire South Caucasus and beyond, paving the way toward lasting peace, stability, and prosperity.

The prospective Trump Corridor for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), which will open a 43km stretch of territory in Zangazur as an America-administered route connecting Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan region, is poised to become a part of a major trade route from Central Asia through Azerbaijan, and Türkiye to the global markets. We call this corridor the “Middle Corridor,” which stretches between the northern and southern transport corridors in the east-west axis, offering significant strategic advantages compared to both alternative paths. The comparatively shorter distance, climate advantage, as well as being a politically more stable route, are among such advantages. OTS has so far developed many projects and initiatives to render the Middle Corridor passing through our Member States a viable and efficient international trade route between Europe and China. A full restoration of peace and stability in the region and the realization of the Trump route will add further momentum to the success of the Middle Corridor initiative.  

The idea of ​​a common Turkic alphabet does not intend to replace national alphabets or introduce a unified script at the state level

– When do you foresee the full implementation of the transition to the common Turkic alphabet?

The full implementation of the Common Turkic Alphabet is a gradual process, but significant foundations have already been laid. The idea of a Common Turkic Alphabet is not an attempt to replace national alphabets or impose a standardized script at the state level. Instead, it is a practical step toward simplifying mutual understanding among our peoples.

To this end, the Turkic World Common Alphabet Commission, established by the OTS, has completed its work. The Commission has agreed on a proposal for a Latin-based Common Turkic Alphabet consisting of 34 letters during its third meeting, organized by the Turkic Academy and Turkic Language Institute, held from 9 to 11 September 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Each letter in the proposed alphabet represents different phonetic sounds found in Turkic languages. The development of the Common Turkic Alphabet promotes mutual understanding and cooperation among the Turkic peoples while preserving their linguistic heritage.

The roots of this discussion trace back to Baku, where intellectuals, philologists, and historians explored this concept decades ago. Then, as now, the goal remains the same: to make Turkic languages more accessible to one another. For instance, a traveler navigating signs more easily or literature becoming more understandable across Turkic states would be direct benefits of this initiative.

Thus, a unified alphabet is a tool for cultural rapprochement, strengthening linguistic ties with the desire to bring our peoples closer together.

We are preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Baku Turkology Congress of 1926 and one of its landmark decisions, which was the adoption of a common Latin-based alphabet for the Turkic languages, in 2026 during the Azerbaijan’s chairmanship at the Organization with a larger cooperation with all Turkic Cooperation Organizations, especially the Turkic Academy.

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