Baku, November 25 (AZERTAC). “On November 21, 2008 in Istanbul, heads of the parliaments of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement to establish the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking countries (TURKPA). Ever since TURKPA has gone through a great path of development,” the organization`s Secretary General Jandos Asanov has said in an interview with AZERTAC.

“Turkic-speaking nations and communities have always had close ties throughout the history. The geopolitical changes in the early 90s of the last century led to the emergence of Turkic-speaking states on the world map, and they started developing and deepening their relations. These relations cover a wide range of areas today. For instance, on July 12, 1993 the establishment of the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY) paved the way for revival and promotion of the cultural legacy of Turkic peoples and communities.”

Mr Asanov said: “Since the 90s of the last century educational cooperation has significantly improved. In these years, many educational institutions of Turkey have been opened in Turkic-speaking countries. Currently our students have vast opportunities to study in local universities of Turkic-speaking countries. In addition, representatives of mass media established close links and provide constant information flow among the countries.”

The Secretary General emphasized that the economic relations among Turkic-speaking countries were remarkable during these years. Kazakhstan`s bilateral trade with Turkey is $4 billion, while it is $1 billion with Kyrgyzstan and $0.5 billion with Azerbaijan. Kazakhstan`s bilateral economic cooperation with Azerbaijan is growing and that can be observed from the frequency of flights between various destinations of the two countries.

Development of the relations between the Turkic-speaking countries necessitated the establishment of organizations coordinating the interstate relations and growing multifaceted cooperation. TURKPA`s main objective is to shape a legislative basis for ever growing ties among the member countries. In one word, TURKPA is a parliamentary dimension of the Turkic world.”

He said: “On October 1 2009 the TURKPA permanent working body - its Secretariat started its activity with headquarters in Baku. This year the position of the TURKPA Secretary General was handed over on a rotating basis from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan. There are four commissions functioning within TURKPA dealing with the issues of culture, education, economy, legal affairs and international relations. TURKPA established cooperation with a number of international parliamentary institutions, such as the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation.”

Mr Asanov highlighted opportunities for cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries, saying that “any TURKPA member state is a nation rich for domestic developments with rapid economic growth”.

“There are many areas for joint work of Turkic-speaking countries. For example, President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in his speech at the Third Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States in Gabala emphasized the need to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation among the brotherly peoples and neighbouring countries. The Kazakh President said that although the GDP of the Turkic states exceeded 1 trillion 150 billion US dollars, the trade turnover among them was well below the existing potential. Our countries` overall economic capacities are increasing year by year. Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkey have own space programs. TURKPA member countries are developing local industries through introducing new technologies and innovation into their economies. Hydrocarbon pipelines, motorways and railways are being constructed or renovated. In the next two years the Kazakh section of the international Western China - Western Europe motorway line will be completed, Kazakhstan has already commissioned Qorghas - Jetigen and Janga Ozen - border with Turkmenistan railway links and it is building a huge railway line that connects the Central Kazakhstan with the Western Kazakhstan. Next year Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway link will be completed and shipment between the sea ports Aqtau and Baku is growing. All these projects should lead to the restoration of the ancient Great Silk Road and further increase of trade and investment cooperation in the framework of Turkic cooperation”.

Secretary General stressed that our countries are the members of a number of international and regional organizations and Turkic organizations have the potential to play the role of a bridge between various intergovernmental organizations of the East and West, North and South. All abovementioned issues should be included in the agenda of TURKPA. Today Turkic countries need to increase the channels of mutual information exchange in order to keep up with the contemporary world. Therefore there is enough work for our news agencies and journalists. We also need experts, professionals and scholars with good knowledge of other Turkic languages and this will ensure timely exchange of information on our achievements in the fields of culture, science, education and other spheres.”

Mr Asanov noted that TURKPA is firmly committed to the principles and norms of the UN Charter. “Moreover, all our countries are the members of the OSCE and share this organization`s goals and objectives. This aspect is reflected in the Bishkek and Ankara declarations, in which TURKPA also expresses the importance of the peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan.”

The TURKPA Secretary General also shared his impressions about Azerbaijan, praising the hospitality of the country`s people and the attractive architecture of Baku that blends old traditions with modernity.

Mr Asanov thanked Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan for its support to the activities of the TURKPA Secretariat. He also said he already started learning Azerbaijani language and expressed a wish to speak it fluently in the near future.