Today, Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the transformation of the "Turkish Council", which includes the Turkic-speaking countries, into the "Organization of Turkish States", speaking of broad prospects for strengthening cooperation between the countries of this bloc politically, economically and culturally.

During a press conference at the eighth summit of the "Turkish Council" held in Istanbul, Erdogan said, "We have decided that our family council, which has become an internationally respected organization, will continue its activities under a new name, the Organization of Turkish States."

Erdogan stressed that the leaders participating in the summit agreed on the document "The Turkish World Vision 2040", which outlines the future perspective of the organization, considering that the Turkestan region will once again become a "center of attraction and enlightenment for all mankind."

Erdogan indicated that the Organization of Turkish States will donate two and a half million doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Africa, and that Turkey will provide two million of them.

The Turkish president considered that the Istanbul summit gained historical importance with the participation of Turkmenistan as an observer, welcoming its President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov and the people of his country.

Erdogan also saw that the gains that Azerbaijan achieved in its conflict with Armenia over the Karabakh region made "the whole Turkish world proud", and that it would open the doors of a new era in which peace, stability and cooperation prevail in the Caucasus region.

He stressed that the OIC countries showed their union as a Turkish scientist by sharing capabilities during the spread of the Corona epidemic, considering that the Istanbul Declaration will lead to the strengthening of political solidarity, economic and commercial cooperation, cultural communication, and human and social relations.

Erdogan explained that they aim to achieve a Turkish world that contributes to peace and stability, and plays a leading role in resolving global issues, stressing the need for no one to be disturbed by the Organization of Turkish States, but rather to seek to become part of this unique structure based on history and human relations, as he put it.

The "Turkish Council" was established on the 3rd of October 2009, and it includes Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Hungary as an observer.

Leaders of the participating countries during the opening of the summit (Anatolia)

opening speech

During his speech at the opening of the summit, Erdogan spoke about several political files, and stressed the importance of the organization's support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the easing of the "isolation and siege" imposed on it, expressing his wish that the republic would join the organization.

On the other hand, Erdogan stressed the need to continue the struggle against all forms of terrorism, especially - according to him - the Kurdistan Workers' Party, the Islamic State, and the Turkish opposition group Fethullah Gulen.

Also during the opening, the Turkish President explained that the summit is being held under the slogan "Green Technology and Smart Cities in the Digital Age", noting that Turkey attaches great importance to combating pollution, and that it has finally ratified the Paris Climate Agreement.

The summit will be attended by Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Kazakhstan's Kassym-Jomart Togayev, Kyrgyzstan Sadr Jabarov and Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

It will also be attended by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov for the first time as a head of state with an observer member status, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, representing his country as an observer member.