Turkey hails Kazakhstan's decision to rename region

By Nezir Aliyev

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan

A top adviser to Turkish president said Thursday “the cradle of our civilization will be Turkestan”, hailing Kazakhstan’s decision to change the name of its southern region to Turkestan.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Yalcin Topcu praised Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s decision to rename the region as Turkestan on June 19.

“This decision is proof that Aksakal [Kazakh President Nazarbayev] is such an important statesman, who has strategic thinking [ability],” Topcu said.

“Aksakal” literally means “white beard” in Turkic languages and metaphorically refers to a wise elder.

“We were fed by that region. From there, we spread to other parts of world. The name of our cradle of civilization [i.e.,Turkestan] has now been restored to its original,” he said.

The Kazakh president signed the decree on the name on June 19, which moves the administrative center of South Kazakhstan region from Shymkent to the Turkestan city, and also renames the region as Turkestan.

“The center of Turkestan region will be Turkestan city, which has been the political and spiritual center of Kazakh Khanate and the whole Turkic world for hundreds of years,” Nazarbayev said in his speech at the signing ceremony.