Speaking at a summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Azerbaijan’s Gabala on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said they welcomed any development to end the bloodshed in Gaza but warned Israel was still the biggest threat in the region. He was speaking about the latest peace plan proposed by the U.S.
Erdoğan reiterated that the establishment of a sovereign State of Palestine was the only way to ensure lasting peace in the region.
The president also urged the Turkic states to play a more effective role in maintaining stability and security in the region. "A determined stance by our organization in the face of numerous conflicts, wars and violations of international law in our immediate region is crucial," Erdoğan told fellow heads of state.
He said the organization added more accomplishments every day in its 16 years, with unity in language, opinion and work, and there would be more.
"We see an international system where the United Nations Security Council, whose multilateralism is gradually eroding, is ignorant of many matters hurting humanity's conscience. Many international and regional bodies are dysfunctional, amounting to little more than a burden, as they are not founded upon sacred values like ours. It is essential to transform our organization into a structure that adapts to shifting conditions, adopts a common stance on international issues and becomes a reliable organization that stands on the right side. In this era, we find it quite meaningful that the summit's theme is regional peace and security," Erdoğan said.
The president emphasized the importance of fostering dialogue with third parties in an environment where multiple security challenges persist. "We never consider the organization as introverted. We have to fulfill a vision of interaction with other international bodies and alliances," he said, hailing the OTS Plus format agreed upon at the summit, which involves more cooperation with third countries.
"It is crucial to continue the momentum we have here, for a more efficient role in stability and security. Attacks by Israel in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Qatar demonstrated that the biggest threat to the region is the Israeli administration. We are pleased with recent developments to end the massacres that claimed 66,000 innocent lives in Gaza. We believe that a two-state solution based on international legitimacy of the Palestinian people will open the door for a lasting and fair peace in the region, and we work for achieving it," Erdoğan said.
Another important matter for the region's security was Syria's stability, according to Erdoğan. "Despite multiple challenges, the people of Syria gave us hope for a bright future with their achievements in the past nine months," Erdoğan said.
"In this process, we have to focus on the improvement of the economic, security and political environment in Syria and on the preservation of Syria's territorial integrity and unity. As Turkic states, we have to engage with the Syrian government more," he said. Türkiye is concerned over the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG's attempt for so-called autonomy in northeastern Syria in the post-Assad era and views the terrorist group as a major threat to the unity Ankara desired in its neighbor.
Erdoğan also highlighted the emergence of a joint alphabet for the Turkic world. He mentioned that a book on the famed author Chinghiz Aitmatov and the Oghuznameh, as well as books on accounts of Oghuz Kaghan and the Oghuz Turks, were the first published books in that alphabet by Türkiye. He said they were also planning a Turkic World Publishing Congress in Ankara next year. "We are working on the declaration of Dec. 15 as World Turkic Language Family Day at the UNESCO Conference that will be held in Samarkand on Oct. 30," he said.
"The presence of Hungary from the western wing of the Turkic world as an observer among us brings us special joy, as it allows us to personally witness the value my dear friend (Hungarian Prime Minister) Orban places on our organization. I would also like to emphasize how honored I am to have the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Mr. Ersin Tatar, with us, following his visits to Ankara, Shusha and Bishkek (for Turkic world meetings). I am pleased to observe that the Turkic world does not leave its Turkish Cypriot brothers alone on the path to a fair two-state solution," Erdoğan added.
"I also welcome the observer membership of our observer member, Turkmenistan, to the Turkic Academy and the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation. We hope to see our Turkmen brothers join our family as full members soon. On this occasion, I would like to emphasize the importance of appointing permanent representatives from member countries to the secretariat, thereby accelerating the institutional functioning of our organization. I urge those members who have not yet taken this step to appoint permanent representatives. "As Turkic states, we have demonstrated that we are moving confidently into the future with solidarity, mutual respect, and a spirit of brotherhood. We are the ones who will strengthen the great Turkic world even more and leave it as a legacy to our children," he stated.
