The Informal Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) took place in Shusha, Azerbaijan, on July 6, 2024. The summit, hosted by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, welcomed leaders from several member states, including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Turkey, and Northern Cyprus.
Strengthening the Turkic World
In his opening remarks, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of enhancing relations among Turkic countries and strengthening the Turkic world. He stated, "Azerbaijan has always made efforts to strongly unite the Turkic world, increase its political, economic, and military power, and transform it into an influential global entity."
Aliyev highlighted the symbolic significance of holding the summit in Shusha, a city that has been restored to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. "The city of Shusha, the crown jewel of Karabakh, has always been one of the important centers of the cultural, public, and political life of Azerbaijan and the region," he said. He also reflected on the liberation of Shusha during the 44-day Patriotic War, noting, "The people of Azerbaijan never came to terms with this occupation and always lived with a desire to return to Shusha and the remaining occupied territories, a goal they have now achieved."
Economic and Infrastructure Initiatives
Aliyev outlined Azerbaijan’s contributions to regional infrastructure, mentioning the East-West transport corridor and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway. "In the last five years, the volume of cargo transportation through the East-West transport corridor has increased by more than 60 percent," he said. Highlighting the importance of transport connectivity, he added, "The annual handling capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has been increased from 1 million to 5 million tons thanks to additional investments by Azerbaijan."
He also announced Azerbaijan’s financial contributions to the OTS Secretariat, stating, "Azerbaijan has recently made a financial contribution in the amount of 2 million U.S. dollars to the Secretariat of the Organization."
Commitment to Climate Action
The summit also focused on climate change, with Aliyev inviting leaders to the COP29 climate conference in Baku. "We view holding the COP29 Presidency and organizing this conference in Baku as a vivid testimony to the international community’s enormous confidence in our country," he remarked. Aliyev emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts, noting, "Azerbaijan will spare no effort to strengthen solidarity and reach consensus between developed and developing countries."
Support for Peace and Cooperation
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan emphasized the importance of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. "We should welcome steps towards reconciliation. We are always ready to offer our platform for peace talks between Baku and Yerevan," he said. He also highlighted Kazakhstan's mediation efforts, stating, "As part of our presidency, we have been paying special attention to mediation."
Tokayev also highlighted the significance of the Trans-Caspian international transport route, stating, "The full potential of the Trans-Caspian international transport route must be utilized. Today, the volume of container transportation in this direction has increased sharply." He added, "We have created a multi-modal digital platform, a digital trade corridor to reduce transportation time."
Renewable Energy and Environmental Focus
President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan praised Azerbaijan’s efforts in renewable energy and climate action. He noted, "We call on Azerbaijan and member states in general for the implementation of joint projects related to natural resources renewable energy." Japarov expressed confidence in Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency, stating, "I am sure that Azerbaijan's Presidency of COP29 will significantly advance the issues on the agenda of the upcoming conference, including climate financing."
Cultural and Historical Significance
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan expressed gratitude for the summit’s organization in Shusha, describing it as one of the cultural capitals of the Turkic world. "This holy city, rightfully considered the pearl of the beautiful Karabakh, is a bright symbol of your historic Victory," he stated. Mirziyoyev also praised the reconstruction efforts in Karabakh, saying, "Under the leadership of esteemed Ilham Aliyev, extensive construction work and large-scale measures to restore the architectural and cultural monuments are being carried out."
Reflecting on Uzbekistan's membership in the OTS, Mirziyoyev noted, "Over this short period of time, mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation has been established with member countries in more than 30 important fields." He added, "In such a disturbing situation, it takes time to qualitatively raise our relations to a new level, to develop them with joint approaches, which are underpinned by the spirit of eternal brotherhood."
Unity and Cooperation
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz of Turkey conveyed greetings from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and emphasized the development of peace and cooperation following Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day Patriotic War. "From the very beginning, we have viewed this Victory not only as the end of occupation but also as the opening of a historic window of opportunity for peace, stability, and prosperity in the South Caucasus," Yilmaz said. He also acknowledged the significance of the Shusha Declaration, noting, "Three years ago, on June 15, 2021, Turkey and Azerbaijan signed the Shusha Declaration in this holy city, crowning the unique relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan."
Yilmaz highlighted the importance of energy cooperation, stating, "Together, we are successfully implementing large-scale energy infrastructure projects connecting the East and the West." He also expressed support for Azerbaijan's COP29 presidency, adding, "We are very pleased that Azerbaijan will be hosting the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - COP29."
Supporting COP29 and Regional Development
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed gratitude for the invitation to the prestigious event held in Shusha. "We are expressing our utter respect for President Ilham Aliyev for giving thousands of people in the region the opportunity to live in peace," he said. Orban pointed out the risks of global division due to the war in Ukraine, emphasizing, "Proceeding from bitter historical experiences, we would prefer a period of communication and interaction to restore global cooperation in the interests of peace."
Historical Significance of Shusha
President Ersin Tatar of Northern Cyprus expressed his gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev for the invitation to the historic Summit in Shusha. "I want to share with you the great happiness and satisfaction I feel speaking at the Shusha Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States," he said. Tatar emphasized Shusha’s cultural and historical importance, noting, "Shusha, a symbol of the traditions of the people of Azerbaijan, has a rich and distinguished history. It has made a great contribution to the world's cultural treasure."
OTS Contributions and Future Directions
Secretary General of the OTS Kubanychbek Omuraliev praised Azerbaijan’s contributions to the development of the organization and highlighted the importance of international transport corridors. "The Middle Corridor plays the role of a vitally important artery in global trade," he noted. Omuraliev congratulated Azerbaijan on hosting COP29, stating, "I would like to congratulate brotherly Azerbaijan on the occasion of hosting COP29, which is a pioneering initiative."
Economic and Transport Cooperation
Binali Yildirim, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the OTS, emphasized the historical significance of holding the summit in Shusha. He highlighted the joint implementation of important projects, saying, "The realization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project today means the completion of the missing link of the Middle Corridor, and this has made it possible to use this corridor more efficiently." Yildirim also stressed the importance of the Middle Corridor for the future of the organization, noting, "The choice of the Middle Corridor as the main topic of this event is very relevant for the future of our organization and our strategic plan for achieving common goals."
Conclusion and Future Directions
The summit concluded with the signing of the Karabakh Declaration and a group photo of the participating leaders. President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for the productive discussions and emphasized the importance of continued cooperation. "I am sure that today's discussions and the decisions we have made will contribute to the strengthening of the Organization of Turkic States," he said.
The next summit of the OTS is scheduled to take place in Bishkek, where leaders will continue their discussions on regional cooperation and development.
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