FM urges Turkic states to adopt common alphabet

SUSHA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a unified alphabet among Turkic states to strengthen regional cooperation.

"In order to prevent global power rivalry from spilling over into our geography, we must tighten our ranks and use our capabilities for our common prosperity," Fidan said at an Organization of Turkic States (OTS) summit in Azerbaijan's Susha city on July 6.

The bloc includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Türkiye.

"We must establish alphabet unity as soon as possible," Fidan urged. While Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan use the Latin alphabet, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan continue to use the Cyrillic script.

The Turkish top diplomat called for a stronger institutional framework within the OTS to support these efforts.

"We need to build the necessary covenant basis to further our cooperation in areas such as connectivity, energy, finance, trade, defense industry and new technologies," he added.

Fidan emphasized the need to support Turkish cultural and identity initiatives globally.

"We need to put our brothers who fly the flag of Turkic culture and identity beyond our borders on the agenda of our organization," he said, "to protect the identities of our compatriots living in the Balkans, eastern Europe, the Middle East and various parts of the world."

Fidan suggested establishing liaison offices in key centers and appointing embassies to enhance the organization's reach.

Turkish Cyprus, along with Hungary and Turkmenistan, holds observer status in the bloc. Fidan called for direct engagement with the island's northern part, which is only recognized by Türkiye, in contrast to the EU-recognized Greek Cypriot administration in the south.

"We call on all our brothers and sisters to support the Turkish Cypriot people to regain their inherent rights as an integral part of the Turkic world," Fidan said. "In this respect, I call on us to increase our trade relations with Turkish Cyprus to end the unjust and inhumane isolation that our brothers have been subjected to for decades."

The minister also addressed the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, expressing hope for a swift peace agreement.

"We particularly appreciate Azerbaijan's strong commitment and positive approach to the conclusion of the agreement," he said, criticizing some Western powers for "favoring Armenia and ignoring Azerbaijan's concerns."

In April, Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev said a peace deal with Armenia was "closer than ever before," with both nations working on border demarcation to resolve long-standing disputes.