Secretary General Halil Akıncı, accompanied by a delegation consisting of Gismat Gozalov, Deputy Secretary General and Project Directors Zamin Aliyev and Hatice Tuğba İkizler, paid an official visit to Baku, Azerbaijan on 21-26 January 2013 on the occasion of the First Meeting of the Ministers and Heads of Institutions in charge of Diaspora Affairs of the Turkic Council held on 24-25 January 2013 hosted by the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The main issues discussed at the meetings are summarized below:
H.E. Misir Mardanov, Minister of Education
- The Parties discussed Azerbaijani members of the Committee of Senior Officials and prospective dates of the next SOC meeting.
- Minister Mardanov expressed his view that it was important to focus on concrete projects in the field of education, and that, in this regard, establishment of the Turkic University Union, exchange of students, symposiums with participation of the academicians could be the first step to begin with.
- Minister Mardanov suggested that establishment of a group of historians consisting of three historians from each State to write the common history textbook of the Turkic nations should be considered. It is important to prepare an outline for the common history textbook, he said.
- Secretary General Akıncı and Minister Mardanov agreed that a common educational television for children would be useful.
H.E. Ziya Mammadov, Minister of Transport
- A number of issues regarding next meetings of Working Groups on Transport and Customs were discussed.
- Minister Mammadov confirmed his participation in the next meeting of Transport Ministers of the Turkic Council.
Turkic Council delegation also met Chairman of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora Nazim Ibrahimov, Chairman of State Committee on Work with Religious Organizations Elshad Isgandarov, Chairman of the State Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev, and Rector of Baku Slavic University Prof. Dr. Kamal Abdullah.
