The Foreign Ministry Thursday marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council).

"[The] Nakhchivan Agreement on the establishment of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States was signed by Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on Oct. 3, 2009. The anniversary of the agreement is celebrated as the Turkic Speaking States Cooperation Day every year," the ministry said in a written statement.

The Turkic Council was established in 2009 as an intergovernmental organization, with the overarching aim of promoting comprehensive cooperation among Turkic speaking states. Its four founding member states are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.

"This year on its 10th anniversary Turkic Speaking States Cooperation Day is being celebrated at a juncture where we witness the enhancement of our unity by the accession of Uzbekistan to the Turkic Council as a full member at the upcoming 7th Summit in Baku on Oct. 15, 2019, as well as the inauguration of the European Office of the Turkic Council in Budapest," read the statement.

It also noted that essential steps were taken in the past decade to institutionalize the Turkic Council.

"Relations among member states have also gained a wider platform through TURKPA, TURKSOY, the Turkic Academy, the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, Turkic Business Council and Turkic Council Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry," the ministry said.

The Turkic Council is an organization dedicated to strengthening peace and stability, promoting wide-ranging cooperation and disclosing the potential for common development among its member states. Although it brings together a particular group of countries, the organization does not take an exclusive approach. On the contrary, by promoting deeper relations and solidarity among Turkic-speaking countries, it aims to serve as a new regional instrument for advancing international cooperation in the Eurasian continent, particularly in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Common language, history and culture are the enduring strengths of the Turkic Council, the ministry said, adding that the council works to contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the Eurasian region.

Since 2011, the Turkic Council convenes its annual summits under certain topics, where the heads of state of the Turkic Council evaluate the past period and set goals for the next year.

With its subcommittees focusing on special areas, the Turkic Council is committed to the purpose and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and other universally recognized principles and norms of international law, including sovereign equality, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of states, as well as the maintenance of international peace, security and development of good neighborly and friendly relations.