Turkic states set up parliamentary assembly
Turkic-speaking nations have signed a long-expected
agreement on establishing a parliamentary assembly.
The deal was reached at a conference held in Istanbul among speakers of parliament last week and attended by representatives of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan did not attend.
Azerbaijan was represented at the meeting by a delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov.
Addressing the conference, Turkish Speaker Koksal Toptan said the new body would have considerable influence on the world stage.
The proposal to establish the Turkic parliamentary assembly was initially made by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the eighth summit of Turkic states in 2006. Nazarbayev said the body should serve as another mechanism in the development of mutually beneficial cooperation. The assembly will be made up of influential politicians, public figures and men of culture.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who was in attendance as well, said Ankara backed the initiative to establish the parliamentary assembly. "The materialization of this historic wish is of great importance."
Gul emphasized that the projects being implemented with the participation of Turkic states were currently a focus of attention in the world community. He stressed the projects are becoming a reality due to the support, and at the initiative of, Azerbaijan.
"There were times when they called the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline a dream. But now the world is witnessing the transporting of Azerbaijani oil to Ceyhan through Georgia, and continuing on to world markets," Gul said.
At the same time, the Turkish leader did not rule out that regional projects, including the BTC, could face threats posed by terror groups and smugglers.
Participants also passed a decision to hold the next meeting of the assembly in Baku in September 2009.
The deal was reached at a conference held in Istanbul among speakers of parliament last week and attended by representatives of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan did not attend.
Azerbaijan was represented at the meeting by a delegation headed by Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov.
Addressing the conference, Turkish Speaker Koksal Toptan said the new body would have considerable influence on the world stage.
The proposal to establish the Turkic parliamentary assembly was initially made by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the eighth summit of Turkic states in 2006. Nazarbayev said the body should serve as another mechanism in the development of mutually beneficial cooperation. The assembly will be made up of influential politicians, public figures and men of culture.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who was in attendance as well, said Ankara backed the initiative to establish the parliamentary assembly. "The materialization of this historic wish is of great importance."
Gul emphasized that the projects being implemented with the participation of Turkic states were currently a focus of attention in the world community. He stressed the projects are becoming a reality due to the support, and at the initiative of, Azerbaijan.
"There were times when they called the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline a dream. But now the world is witnessing the transporting of Azerbaijani oil to Ceyhan through Georgia, and continuing on to world markets," Gul said.
At the same time, the Turkish leader did not rule out that regional projects, including the BTC, could face threats posed by terror groups and smugglers.
Participants also passed a decision to hold the next meeting of the assembly in Baku in September 2009.
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