Organization of Turkic States foreign ministers meeting begins in Ankara

The Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) began in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on Thursday as part of the organization’s 13th summit.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the meeting, according to diplomatic sources.

Foreign ministers of the OTS posed for a family photo ahead of the meeting.

The summit, to be held on Thursday and Friday in Ankara, will be hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, under the theme Turkic Century: Unity in Language, Thought and Deed.

Established in 2009, the OTS, formerly known as the Turkic Council, adopted its current name during its eighth summit held in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul in 2021.

While Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan are members, Turkmenistan, Hungary, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and the Economic Cooperation Organization hold observer status.

The organization said on Oct. 24 that the summit would bring together the heads of state of its member states, as well as high-level representatives from observer states and its secretary general, to “discuss the current state and future prospects of cooperation within the Organization,” among other issues.

It said the heads of state are expected to review the progress achieved across the OTS‘ priority areas, and that particular emphasis will be placed on “further strengthening unity and solidarity” among the Turkic states and advancing cooperation under the Turkic World Vision 2040.

It added that the summit will also mark the handover of the OTS’ chairmanship from Azerbaijan to Türkiye, and is expected to address the appointment of a new secretary general and the organization’s strategic priorities “for the forthcoming period.”

“The Heads of State are expected to adopt the Ankara Declaration, together with a number of decisions and documents aimed at deepening cooperation and further strengthening the institutional framework of the OTS,” it added.