Politics
Turkic world’s diplomats gather as Ankara aims to boost OTS’ standing
Heads of state and government from member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) convene in Ankara this week. Ahead of the main summit, top diplomats of the OTS will be hosted by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Thursday in the capital for a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers. The gathering is viewed as a step among Türkiye’s efforts to raise the profile of the international body. The OTS’ foreign ministers have already held four meetings, but most of them were informal. This time, it will be an official meeting, Foreign Ministry sources said, noting that they would consult with each other on work to institutionalize the organization and explore venues of cooperation.
Ministers are also expected to agree upon administrative and financial documents for the conduct of the OTS. Fidan will also hold bilateral talks with his counterparts on the margins of the meeting.
Sources said that in his speech at the meeting, Fidan would emphasize that political dialogue and the capacity for joint action among Turkic states have been strengthened under the OTS and that shared history, language, culture and fraternal ties have been translated into tangible cooperation.
He is also expected to state that, during Türkiye’s OTS chairpersonship, priority will be given to enhancing the organization’s institutional capacity, strengthening the Secretariat’s human and financial resources and capabilities, and intensifying coordination among Turkic cooperation organizations. He will also stress the importance of translating economic and strategic cooperation into concrete results, particularly in energy, trade, investment, digital transformation and the defense industry. He is also expected to underscore the importance of strengthening the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor to enhance connectivity and economic resilience between Asia and Europe.
In addition, Fidan is expected to draw attention to developments in Afghanistan and their implications for regional security, stability and connectivity, emphasizing the need to increase consultations and coordination on these issues among OTS member and observer states.
The OTS summit, which will be hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday in Ankara, is expected to review the current state of cooperation and future prospects, as well as regional and international developments of shared interest, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
They will assess progress in the organization’s priority areas, including political cooperation, trade and investment, transportation and connectivity, energy, digital transformation, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and institutional development.
The organization has set a long-term plan called Turkic World 2040 Vision, and the summit is expected to stress concrete steps toward it.
Türkiye will take over the group’s rotating chairpersonship from Azerbaijan. Leaders are expected to adopt the Ankara Declaration along with decisions and documents meant to deepen cooperation and strengthen the organization’s institutions.
Turkish business groups are expected to hold events on the sidelines, with the Middle Corridor, border crossings, customs procedures and logistics costs set to feature in the talks.
The Middle Corridor, a trade route linking Asia and Europe through Central Asia and the South Caucasus, offers important opportunities for the economic integration of the Turkic world, the report said.
A digital economy partnership agreement among members aims to remove barriers to e-commerce, digital services and cross-border data-based activity. Türkiye ratified it in June, becoming the third country to complete domestic approval after Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
Members are also working on the Turkic States Digital Agriculture Data Platform for data exchange and smart farming solutions. At the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, members recently signed a framework agreement continuing a joint CubeSat project coordinated by the organization. Türkiye has been a net exporter to the organization’s members in recent years. Shipments to the four full members, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, have grown from $6.2 billion in 2021 to $9.6 billion last year. Imports in the same period rose from $4.2 billion to $7.3 billion. Total trade last year came to nearly $17 billion. Kazakhstan was Türkiye’s top export market at $3.2 billion, followed by Azerbaijan at $3 billion, Uzbekistan at $2.1 billion and Kyrgyzstan at $1.3 billion.
In the first eight months of this year, Türkiye exported $6.1 billion worth of goods and imported $5.4 billion, bringing trade to nearly $11.5 billion. Kazakhstan led again at $2 billion, followed by Azerbaijan at $1.9 billion, Uzbekistan at $1.3 billion and Kyrgyzstan at $832.8 million.
Türkiye’s strict implementation of the Montreux Convention has helped prevent the Russia-Ukraine war from spreading across the Black Sea region, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said Wednesday, warning against escalating attacks on commercial vessels.
Speaking at a joint news conference following a trilateral meeting of defense ministers and military chiefs from Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania in Sofia, Güler emphasized Ankara’s commitment to regional security.
He said Türkiye has consistently supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while maintaining dialogue with Russia to prevent further escalation.
“Since the beginning of the war, we have meticulously fulfilled the requirements of the Montreux Convention,” Güler said. “This has enabled us to prevent the war from spreading to a wider region and minimize its impact on the Black Sea.”
Güler expressed concern over attacks on civilian shipping, noting that numerous commercial vessels have been targeted during the nearly five-year conflict.
He said another commercial vessel was reportedly struck by three drones in Bulgaria’s maritime jurisdiction Wednesday, urging both Russia and Ukraine to exercise restraint.
Black Sea cooperation
Güler highlighted Türkiye’s ongoing naval mine countermeasure operations and its cooperation with Bulgaria and Romania through the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, known as MCM Black Sea.
The initiative aims to address drifting mines and safeguard maritime navigation through coordinated regional efforts.
He also stressed that Ankara continues diplomatic contacts with Moscow and Kyiv to protect commercial shipping routes and ensure freedom of navigation.
Güler said the three NATO allies’ unified position sends a clear message that the security of commercial shipping lanes and coastal states must not be compromised.
Türkiye will continue its efforts to maintain peace, security and stability in the Black Sea, he added.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry extended condolences to Spain over the tragic train accident that killed dozens of people near the city of Toledo on Wednesday.
In a statement, the ministry said Türkiye was deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from the train accident.
“We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of Spain, and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the ministry said, adding that no Turkish citizens have lost their lives in the accident.
The Turkish Embassy in Madrid is closely following the developments regarding the accident, the ministry added.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also expressed solidarity with Spain following the collision of two high-speed trains. In a social media post, Erdoğan extended his sympathies to those affected by the crash, saying: “On behalf of my country and nation, I sincerely share the grief of those who lost loved ones and convey Türkiye’s message of unity and solidarity to the people and government of Spain.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Albares, to convey Türkiye’s condolences over the deadly train crash near Toledo, diplomatic sources said. Fidan expressed the Turkish people’s deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims. The two ministers also discussed recent developments in the Middle East.
At least 64 people were killed Wednesday when a high-speed train slammed into the rear of another train in central Spain, derailing two carriages and leaving wreckage scattered across a field as emergency crews raced to rescue survivors. The cause of the collision was not immediately known.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held high-level talks in Ankara, bringing together senior officials from both countries for discussions behind closed doors at the Presidential Complex.
Erdoğan and Tokayev chaired an interdelegation meeting following their one-on-one talks at the Presidential Complex.
The Turkish delegation included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
Also attending were Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın, Presidential Chief of Staff Hasan Doğan, Defense Industries Presidency head Haluk Görgün, and presidential chief adviser on foreign policy and security Akif Çağatay Kılıç.
Türkiye Wealth Fund CEO Salim Arda Ermut, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair Kürşad Zorlu, who oversees relations with Turkic states, and Türkiye’s Ambassador to Astana Mustafa Kapucu were also present.
Earlier, Erdoğan welcomed Tokayev in an official ceremony.
The ceremony featured a rifle drill by the Presidential Guard Regiment and a 21-gun salute, with flags representing 16 historic Turkic states displayed alongside ceremonial troops.
Tokayev greeted the guard of honor in Turkish, saying, “Merhaba asker” (“Hello, soldiers”).
The presidents then shook hands and posed for photographs in front of the Turkish and Kazakh flags before proceeding to their private meeting.
Türkiye and Kazakhstan maintain close political, economic and cultural ties rooted in shared historical and linguistic heritage. Türkiye was the first country to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, and the two nations elevated their relations to an enhanced strategic partnership in 2022. Both are members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), with cooperation spanning trade, energy, transportation, defense and education.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told U.S. President Donald Trump that Türkiye was working toward a diplomatic resolution to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen during a phone call Wednesday, as Ankara closely monitors developments in the region, the Communications Directorate said.
Erdoğan said Türkiye was closely following developments in the Strait of Hormuz and Yemen as part of the Mecca Joint Defense Alliance and was striving to resolve the tensions through diplomatic means.
Turning to the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s readiness to support efforts to revive negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, emphasizing Ankara’s commitment to ending the conflict through diplomacy.
The Turkish president also underscored the importance of strengthening ties with Washington, saying Türkiye would continue working to deepen bilateral relations and accelerate cooperation across all sectors ahead of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year.
Meanwhile, Trump congratulated Erdoğan and the Turkish people on Republic Day, which Türkiye celebrates on Oct. 29, and conveyed his wishes for a successful summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS).
Türkiye has sought to position itself as a diplomatic mediator in regional and international conflicts, maintaining communication with rival parties and advocating negotiated solutions. Ankara previously hosted talks between Russia and Ukraine and helped broker the Black Sea grain deal in 2022 alongside the United Nations. In the Middle East, Türkiye has backed diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, calling for dialogue and regional stability amid disputes affecting Yemen and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Turkish official who preferred to remain anonymous told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that Türkiye hosted talks between Libya’s eastern and western administrations last week with an ultimate goal of reunifying them, confirming media reports about the talks that took place last Friday but adding that no agreement has emerged.
“Discussions have so far focused primarily on military unification, while political unity is expected to be addressed at a later stage,” the official said on Wednesday.
The talks, which took place in the capital Ankara, were attended by military officials from Libya’s eastern and western administrations as well as diplomats, the source said, adding that Türkiye was acting as a mediator between the two sides.
Beset by instability since the 2011 overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi, Libya is divided between a U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Gen. Khalifa Haftar.
Türkiye strongly backed the Tripoli-based government during Libya’s years of conflict, but ties with eastern authorities have warmed significantly in recent years after a long period of hostility.
Ankara is one of the rare countries involved in Libya that maintains ties with both sides.
On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the time had come to reunify Libya’s rival eastern and western administrations, hinting that an announcement could come soon after he hosted a meeting of top European diplomats and regional powers in Istanbul. “We have now reached a stage where the conditions are ripe to permanently secure the reunification of the east and the west,” Fidan told journalists.
“One of the most important pillars of national unification is how the military units currently controlled separately by both sides will be brought together under a single umbrella,” he added. “God willing, you will soon hear very good news about this from Türkiye.”
Last week, Libya’s eastern-based Parliament approved a maritime demarcation deal with Türkiye, years after rejecting it when it was first signed. The vote comes as Washington and the United Nations are also pushing for the reunification of the oil-rich country.
New Party (YP) lawmaker Mustafa Sarıgül, a staple of Turkish politics since the 1990s, is facing new allegations in a probe into the businesses of his two sons.
The probe focuses on money laundering accusations that landed Ömer and Emir Sarıgül in custody earlier this month, and statements from a former accountant of the family spell more trouble for the lawmaker. Oktay Özkan collaborated with authorities and exposed the lawmaker’s secret partnership with a luxury hotel in Antalya’s golfing resort Belek. Özkan detailed how he carried bags of cash delivered by the hotel’s other partner, Temel Aygün, to Sarıgül’s residence repeatedly.
Sarıgül’s name came up in the investigation, which was launched upon complaints by two German businesspeople who claimed the lawmaker and his sons defrauded them with the promise of a joint investment. Digging deeper, investigators uncovered an alleged network of money laundering that also involved a prominent business dynasty Sarıgül’s elder son was once married into.
Özkan’s statements, however, focus on Sarıgül’s tenure as mayor of Istanbul’s upscale Şişli district between 1999 and 2014. He said that Sarıgül had a 48% stake at Titanic Hotel in Belek he purchased with bribes he accumulated while serving as mayor.
Özkan, who said he had known Sarıgül for approximately 30 years and had worked for him for a time as a self-employed accountant, explained that Sarıgül had introduced him to Temel Aygün, a partner in Titanic Hotels. He said he had acted as a courier and intermediary in paperwork and money transfers between the two because they had jointly opened the Titanic Hotel in Antalya.
Detailing the money transfers one by one during his questioning by prosecutors, Özkan said: “Since Temel Aygün and Mustafa Sarıgül were partners, I was in contact with them regarding the preparation of documents and their financial dealings. At the time, Temel Aygün would hand me the money in a package, and I would take it without counting it to Mustafa Sarıgül’s home and deliver it to him.”
Responding to prosecutors’ questions about when and how many times the money had been delivered, Özkan said the last transfer had taken place four to five months earlier. “I believe that four to five months ago, I went to Temel Aygün’s hotel in Taksim, collected a sealed bag of money about the size of a chocolate box, took it to Mustafa Sarıgül’s apartment and handed it over to him,” he said.
“This money was related to their partnership in the Titanic Hotel. Since both sides trusted me, I would handle the transfers between them. They would discuss the matter among themselves, determine the amounts and reach an agreement. I did not receive any payment for making these deliveries,” he said.
Allegations concerning a partnership in the Titanic Deluxe Hotel in Belek, Antalya, whose investment cost was reported to be 150 million euros ($166.84 million) and had been mentioned in the testimony of a secret witness in the probe identified as “A3M2LK48,” gained further official weight following Oktay Özkan’s questioning by prosecutors.
Sarıgül alternated between business and politics throughout his career and made a name for himself as Türkiye’s youngest lawmaker in the 1987 elections. He rose to further prominence as mayor of Şişli, an upscale Istanbul district, from 1999 to 2014. After a brief stint leading a political movement, he rejoined the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 2013, years after unsuccessfully challenging CHP leader Deniz Baykal in intra-party elections. Baykal stepped down in 2010 following a separate sex video scandal.
Sarıgül left the CHP again and established a new party in 2020. He returned to the party ahead of the 2023 general elections and was elected to represent his hometown of Erzincan in Parliament. He joined the YP after it was founded last July by former CHP Chair Özgür Özel. His latest stint in the CHP made him familiar to younger generations, as Sarıgül once again shot to fame with bizarre social media videos in which he is often seen slapping nearby objects and people in alternating fits of excitement and anger.
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