Kyrgyzstan’s parliament speaker on Tuesday praised Türkiye’s political, military and economic influence, describing the country as a close strategic partner, during talks with the speaker of Türkiye’s Parliament in Ankara.

Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, speaker of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament, made the remarks at a joint news conference with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM).

Turgunbek uulu said his visit marked the first official foreign trip of Kyrgyzstan’s newly elected eighth parliament, adding that Türkiye was chosen because of its status as what he called the country’s "closest strategic partner.”

"Türkiye is today one of the most important countries in the world,” Turgunbek uulu said. "With its military and economic strength, it is a country we are proud of in every respect.”

He highlighted the growing role of the Turkic world in an era of globalization and pointed to organizations such as the Organization of Turkic States and the Turkic Parliamentary Assembly as increasingly influential platforms in international affairs.

Turgunbek uulu said his talks with Kurtulmuş focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and parliamentary ties. He also underlined the close relationship between Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, saying their engagement had elevated relations between the two countries to a new level.

He described Erdoğan’s official visit to Kyrgyzstan in 2024 as historic, noting that it helped deepen high-level cooperation and led to the signing of multiple agreements. Kyrgyz lawmakers, he said, are now working on how those agreements will be addressed and implemented by parliament.

Erdoğan presented a locally made Togg electric vehicle to his Kyrgyz host Zhaparov during this visit in Bishkek, as the latter gifted the Turkish leader a horse.

Turgunbek uulu emphasized that Türkiye and Kazakhstan are Kyrgyzstan’s two closest partners within the Turkic world. He referred to a shared goal set by the two countries’ leaders to raise bilateral trade volume to $5 billion, acknowledging that the target has not yet been reached but expressing confidence that it would be achieved.

"We believe we will reach this goal with the strength of brotherhood,” he said, adding that activating parliamentary friendship groups and exchanges among lawmakers would be essential.

The Kyrgyz speaker also voiced strong support for the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA), describing it as a body built on solidarity rather than temporary or limited interests. He said Uzbekistan is expected to become a full member of the assembly, while Hungary is nearing full membership, with a decision on Uzbekistan anticipated at a summit in Bishkek in October.

Turgunbek uulu also noted that Kyrgyzstan will host the 6th World Nomad Games later this year, saying Turkic states have shown strong interest in the event.

Turkic world ties

Over the recent months, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan pointed out that lasting peace and long-term stability across the Turkic world can only be achieved through constant coordination and strengthened partnership among members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).

The minister noted that the Turkic world’s growing role in shaping regional balances requires greater solidarity and institutional alignment. Fidan reiterated that mutual trust, political dialogue and practical cooperation are the key drivers of the OTS’s increasing influence, calling for collective steps to address regional and global challenges.

"The greatest strength of our organization lies in the deepening mutual trust and cooperation among its members,” he said.

Member nations highlighted the group’s growing weight in Eurasian politics, positioning it as not only a cultural community but also a strategic actor. That ambition is anchored in the bloc’s "Turkic World – 2040 Vision Document,” which sets long-term goals for political solidarity, economic expansion, and greater international influence.

Kürşad Zorlu, deputy chair of Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and head of relations with Turkic states, emphasized the bloc’s growing economic and strategic importance.

He noted that initiatives within the Organization of Turkic States have strengthened economic and strategic ties, with the total share of Turkic states in global trade rising to 2.43%. "Our foreign trade volume, which was $540 billion in 2009, reached $1.2 trillion in 2024, and trade among Turkic states is expected to reach $70 billion by the end of this year,” he said.

Originally launched as the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States by Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the group evolved into the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) at its landmark Istanbul summit in November 2021. The rebranding was widely interpreted as the start of a new era for the Turkic integration process, signaling an ambition to translate cultural bonds into geopolitical clout.

On Oct. 3, 2025, Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated the 16th anniversary as "Turkic States Cooperation Day,” calling the bloc a manifestation of shared values, and vowed it "will continue to serve peace, prosperity and stability in its region and beyond.”

The TURKPA also launched two major digital initiatives, "Qanun” and "Qamus,” to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy and promote linguistic unity across the Turkic world.

Developed to enrich linguistic harmony among the Turkic states, the projects are expected to support coordination among member Parliaments, facilitate translation of official documents and legislation and boost linguistic consistency in academic and administrative texts.