Informal Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held at the Turkish House in New York City on September 22, 2023 on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Informal CFM was hosted by H.E. Hakan Fidan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Türkiye and attended by H.E. Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Aida Kasymaliva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN, H.E. Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary H.E. Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), along with H.E. Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the OTS.
Key discussions at the meeting encompassed preparations for the upcoming 10th OTS Summit scheduled for November 3, 2023, in Kazakhstan. Subsequently, Secretary General Omuraliev provided comprehensive information to the Foreign Ministers regarding the draft agenda and the expected documents to be signed at the Summit.
Furthermore, during the meeting the longstanding issue of securing Observer Status for the OTS at the UN General Assembly and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were discussed. The Secretary General elaborated on the OTS's substantial efforts by the Secretariat, awareness-raising activities, and formal partnerships with international organizations, enhanced interactions with UN specialized institutions and informed the Parties about the plan to organize the "Turkic Week" in Geneva in collaboration with the UN Office in Geneva, from December 4 to 8, 2023. The Secretary General also touched upon efforts to rekindle discussions on Observer Status at the OIC, highlighting positive developments in relations with OIC member countries.
As the third agenda item, the Parties discussed issues related to strengthening the OTS. Ambassador Omuraliev emphasized the need to improve mechanisms of interaction between Member States and the Secretariat. To promote economic integration, the Secretary General stressed the necessity of increasing mutual trade in the region and the importance of raising intra-trade from the current 5% to at least 10% of the total trade turnover worldwide. Key priorities included completing negotiations on the "OTS Free Trade Agreement in Services and Investments" and revising performance evaluation criteria. The Secretary General proposed three key actions: increasing both the quantity and quality of Secretariat personnel, prioritizing project monitoring, and allocating a realistic project budget.
Ministers expressed their appreciation for the steps taken by the Secretariat in enhancing OTS's visibility on the international stage, particularly in obtaining Observer Status at the UN General Assembly and the OIC, as well as for efforts on strengthening the Organization. Furthermore, they assured continued support to the Secretariat on these matters.
The Informal CFM was hosted by H.E. Hakan Fidan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Türkiye and attended by H.E. Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Bakhtiyor Saidov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Aida Kasymaliva, Permanent Representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN, H.E. Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary H.E. Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), along with H.E. Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the OTS.
Key discussions at the meeting encompassed preparations for the upcoming 10th OTS Summit scheduled for November 3, 2023, in Kazakhstan. Subsequently, Secretary General Omuraliev provided comprehensive information to the Foreign Ministers regarding the draft agenda and the expected documents to be signed at the Summit.
Furthermore, during the meeting the longstanding issue of securing Observer Status for the OTS at the UN General Assembly and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) were discussed. The Secretary General elaborated on the OTS's substantial efforts by the Secretariat, awareness-raising activities, and formal partnerships with international organizations, enhanced interactions with UN specialized institutions and informed the Parties about the plan to organize the "Turkic Week" in Geneva in collaboration with the UN Office in Geneva, from December 4 to 8, 2023. The Secretary General also touched upon efforts to rekindle discussions on Observer Status at the OIC, highlighting positive developments in relations with OIC member countries.
As the third agenda item, the Parties discussed issues related to strengthening the OTS. Ambassador Omuraliev emphasized the need to improve mechanisms of interaction between Member States and the Secretariat. To promote economic integration, the Secretary General stressed the necessity of increasing mutual trade in the region and the importance of raising intra-trade from the current 5% to at least 10% of the total trade turnover worldwide. Key priorities included completing negotiations on the "OTS Free Trade Agreement in Services and Investments" and revising performance evaluation criteria. The Secretary General proposed three key actions: increasing both the quantity and quality of Secretariat personnel, prioritizing project monitoring, and allocating a realistic project budget.
Ministers expressed their appreciation for the steps taken by the Secretariat in enhancing OTS's visibility on the international stage, particularly in obtaining Observer Status at the UN General Assembly and the OIC, as well as for efforts on strengthening the Organization. Furthermore, they assured continued support to the Secretariat on these matters.
