Türkiye marks Turkic States Cooperation Day

ANKARA

Türkiye on Tuesday marked the Turkic States Cooperation Day, an occasion embodying "unity of our peoples and future generations."

“On the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the signing of the Nakhchivan Agreement, which laid the foundations of the Organization of Turkic States, we wholeheartedly congratulate the Turkic States Cooperation Day,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Organization of Turkic States aims to rapidly enhance and deepen cooperation among member states, harmonize national capacities, and contribute to the peace and stability as a responsible and responsive regional actor in the global arena, it added.

It said the process has now evolved into a “full-fledged international organization,” thanks to the strong will and joint efforts demonstrated by member countries.

“Türkiye will continue its ceaseless efforts to further strengthen the Turkic cooperation and make the Turkic World ‘stronger together,’" it added.

In a separate statement, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev said the day "symbolizes the genesis of our organization" and "embodies unity for our peoples and future generations and we collectively celebrate our shared journey and accomplishments today."

The Organization of Turkic States, formerly called the Turkic Council, or the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, originally emerged as a summit between the heads of Turkic states in the early 1990s, and eventually became an international council in 2009.

Its members are Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, while EU state Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have observer status.