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Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhurman pledged Friday to work closely with Türkiye toward a lasting settlement on Cyprus as leaders and senior officials gathered in Ankara for the 13th Heads of State Summit of the Organization of Turkic States.
“We’ll continue working for a just and lasting solution on the island in close consultation and cooperation with Türkiye,” Erhurman said at the summit, hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan under the theme “Turkic Century: Unity in Language, Thought and Action.”
Erhurman said the TRNC’s fundamental objective was to strengthen peace, stability and cooperation on the island and across the region.
He said efforts to integrate Turkish Cypriots into the international community and efforts toward a settlement on the island were mutually reinforcing.
Erhurman also expressed hope that the Eastern Mediterranean would become a region of mutual respect, inclusive cooperation and shared prosperity rather than tensions and exclusionary policies.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised Türkiye’s growing international role, saying the country had become “one of the most important countries in the world” over the past century and had gained “incredible international prestige.”
Tokayev said Türkiye’s socioeconomic potential had increased significantly under Erdogan’s policies and described the country as a major regional and global power.
He also called for the adoption of an Organization of Turkic States strategy for 2027-2031, saying it should strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, finance, manufacturing, agriculture and digital technologies.
Tokayev said Kazakhstan’s trade with OTS member countries had reached $10 billion this year, an increase of about 40% from last year.
He also proposed holding a business forum in Kazakhstan next year and called for steps that could allow Russia to participate in the organization, including potentially as an observer.
Tokayev said Russia’s participation could benefit the organization because of its longstanding ties with the Turkic world.
On transport and infrastructure, Tokayev highlighted the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and said Kazakhstan was working to modernize logistics infrastructure and ports along the Middle Corridor.
He also called for faster work toward establishing a Cybersecurity Council and said Kazakhstan was ready to share its experience in artificial intelligence and digitalization with other Turkic states.
Tokayev reiterated that the OTS was not a military alliance and should not become one, saying Kazakhstan supported unity, prosperity and solidarity.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov said the geographic position, economic potential and energy resources of Turkic states offered significant opportunities to expand their role in international transport, trade and energy security.
He said development of the Middle Corridor, implementation of the Zangezur Corridor and expansion of transport links between member states could increase their economic opportunities.
Bayramov said Azerbaijan wanted such projects to support not only transit transportation but also mutual trade, industrial cooperation and investment.
He also said Azerbaijan was playing an important role in developing green energy and digital connections between Central Asia and Europe and called for continued efforts to secure observer status for the OTS at the U.N. General Assembly.
On the South Caucasus, Bayramov said the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia was continuing and that a de facto peaceful environment existed in the region, while Baku was waiting for political and legal steps from Armenia needed for a peace agreement.
Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov also called for deeper economic cooperation among Turkic states in energy, transport, communications, industry, agriculture, construction, textiles and other sectors.
He emphasized the importance of expanding the capacity of the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor and said Turkmenistan was ready to make use of the infrastructure of Turkmenbashi International Port.
Berd Berdimuhamedov also highlighted tourism, cultural heritage, environmental cooperation and stronger ties between the OTS and the U.N.
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, meanwhile, said Türkiye was strengthening its international reputation under Erdogan through political, economic, military and technological achievements.
Türkiye took over the rotating OTS chairmanship from Azerbaijan at the Ankara summit.
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