As paradigms change, alliances are being rebuilt or severed across the world at a faster pace than in the 20th century. For Türkiye, the strategy is clear: reaching out to old friends and mending ties with former foes without concessions on principles.
Throughout its history, though, the Republic of Türkiye has always counted on good relations with one particular group: the Turkic world. As it prepares to take over the rotating presidency of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) toward the end of this year, co-founder Türkiye is gearing up to bolster it further. This is what President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan outlined during and after an informal summit of the Turkic world’s leaders in Kazakhstan earlier this month.
Erdoğan, who frequently quotes great Crimean Tatar intellectual Ismail Gaspıralı’s vision of “unity in language, work and opinion,” takes pride in crowning relations with the Turkic world with the foundation of the OTS. As he was returning from Kazakhstan, Erdoğan told journalists that the Turkic world can take on a more efficient role for the peace and stability of the region.
“The Turkic world has a great economic, cultural and strategic potential and we are striving to activate this potential and develop more cooperation in diplomacy, energy, commerce, transportation, security and defense,” Erdoğan said.
