Organization of Turkic States to adopt “EU model”

ISTANBUL

A series of decisions are expected to be taken in the long term in the Organization of Turkic States (TDT) towards the “European model” target.

Protocols and agreements on which member states reach a mutual understanding will be signed at the heads of state-government summit, which will be held on Nov. 11 in Samarkand, with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The member states seek to lead the organization to a model like the European Union, where “barriers to trade are removed, customs systems are simplified, and full freedom in transportation, capital and human circulation is ensured, with a single state understanding.”

At the meeting, which will transfer the term presidency from Türkiye to Uzbekistan, the membership of Turkish Cyprus, which made an official application for membership to the organization at last year’s summit, is also expected to be discussed.

Within the framework of the “Middle Corridor project,” two separate tripartite collaborations were formed between Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan with the participation of foreign, trade and transport ministers; and between Türkiye-Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan with foreign and transportation ministers. Energy ministers are also planning to participate in these tripartite formats.

Starting from Türkiye, the Middle Corridor extends to Georgia, Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea by rail and road connections, and from there to China, following the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan route.