Some twenty years ago, the formulation of such a question could hardly take place, but today, a group of Turkic-speaking countries, close in their historical community and spiritual bonds, is on the path of active integration, gradually turning into one of the significant players in the socio-economic space.
While the so-called “Slavic world” (a group of countries having common linguistic roots – Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Belarus, the Czech Republic, etc., about twenty states and nationalities in Europe) after the collapse the USSR is almost never mentioned by anyone, and few people suspect its existence, then the Turkic-speaking countries are willing to come closer to each other.
Today, the Turkic world unites peoples living in different countries and continents, and has about 165 million people. They live in more than twenty countries of the world, as well as in South America and the EU. For example, such Turkic peoples as Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvashs, Kumyks (in the Caucasus), Tuvans, Khakasses, Yakuts, Karachais, Circassians, Balkars, Nogais live on the territory of Russia. In Moldova the Turkic people of the Gagauz live. Globalization and increased integration with other peoples have led to the resettlement of Turks in other parts of the world, including the United States and Australia.
Most Turks of religion are Muslims.
It all started back in 1992, when the young post-Soviet countries were looking for ways to internationally strengthen their sovereignty. Then, in the capital of Turkey, several states signed the Ankara statement, which recorded a desire to develop mutual cooperation in a wide area of the Turkic world.
Exactly ten years ago, in the Azerbaijani city of Nakhchivan, a declaration was signed on the establishment of a Cooperation Council for Turkic-speaking states, which determined a strategy for the development and expansion of ties. This event gave a start to a new, more meaningful and pragmatic stage in the evolution of relations of fraternal peoples.
Over the years, Council members – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey – have created a solid institutional architecture. In particular, this is TurkPA – the Turkic Parliamentary Assembly, TURKSOY – the international organization of Turkic culture, the Turkic Academy, the Fund for Turkic Culture and Heritage, the Council of Elders, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This tendency was also supported by the fact that at the next meeting of the Council, which was held recently in the capital of Azerbaijan, the union expanded due to the accession of states such as Uzbekistan and Hungary in different statuses.
Of course, the entry into the Turkic world of Hungary, one of the active members of the European Union, deserves special attention.
For those not well versed in the intricacies of the history of the Turkic peoples, it may seem strange to see Hungary joining this group. Actually, about 1130 years ago, the Hungarians moved to the center of Europe, leaving forever their native nomads, referred to in those days as Desht-i-Kipchak (the current territory of Kazakhstan). Probably, because the true history of these peoples is nourished by the same roots that are close and understandable to them at the genetic level, this connection is now taking on special shape.
Apparently, remembering his distant roots, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban every time comes to watch the World Nomad Games, which are traditionally held in one of the Turkic states. He also, in one way or another, participates in each meeting of the heads of Turkic states within the framework of the Cooperation Council, and does not hide his hopes that his country’s participation in the Turkic Council will open the way for the association to develop and strengthen cooperation with Europe. Full membership of Uzbekistan in the organization will contribute to the solidarity of the Turkic-speaking countries, deepen cooperation, and increase the level of coordination for the sake of well-being of the peoples.
At the summit in Baku, the role of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, as one of the architects of the construction of the Turkic world was also highly appreciated. For great merits in the development of relations in the Turkic world and, directly, the creation of a Cooperation Council for Turkic-speaking states and especially so that Nursultan Nazarbayev could continue to actively participate in the structure, a new post was established for him – a lifetime Honorary Chairman of the Council.
International observers are impressed by the fact that this association is trying to build the Turkic world not within the framework of political or military alliances, but in the format of economic, social, cultural and humanitarian relations, based on the general history of the origin of nations. And this is its huge advantage as a promising and promising project.
Thanks to openness, multinationality and multiconfessionality, the political and economic authority of the Turkic Council is growing every year, both regionally and internationally. Political scientists are confident that in a very short time the Organization of Turkic states will once more loudly declare itself, and therefore membership in it for many other developed states will become one of the immediate priorities. /// nCa, 1 November 2019