Geography of OTG – the development space of the main Eurasian trade and transit routes
The emergence of the Organization of Turkic States as an independent structure on the political landscape of the world has historical significance, and its transformation into an influential international structure is assessed as a breakthrough, Head of the Center for Strategic Studies of the IMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Shiri Shiriev said at the international conference "Samarkand OTG Summit: the main results and prospects for the development of cooperation".
The conference, initiated by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, was held in an online format, and its central platform was the International Institute of Central Asia in Tashkent. Among the speakers of the forum are the heads of the leading analytical centers of the OTG region, including the observer countries Hungary and Turkmenistan.
The experts noted, first of all, the economic mission of OTG, which provides an opportunity for partners to create joint ventures or place some of their production facilities in the space of the Turkic states. And this is a market with a population of more than 170 million people and a territory of almost 4 million square kilometers.
According to Shiri Shiriyev, the geographical space of the OTG makes it possible to effectively use its trade and transit opportunities. It is through the countries of Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Turkey that the main routes from North to South and from East to West in the large Eurasian space will pass. The expansion of cooperation also contributes to the rapid and cost-effective transportation of hydrocarbon resources to consumer countries.
It should also be noted that the most important components that attract countries to the OTG are the absence of hegemony of a particular country, claims against each other and intentions to interfere in each other's internal affairs. On the contrary, the sovereignty of each State is indisputable and sacred for all countries of the Organization.
The adopted Concept of the "Turkic Global Vision 2040" fits perfectly into the international paradigm and considers the Turkic project as one of the elements of a new improved world order. The authors of the Concept call for the creation of an international system that serves equally "the well-being of all countries" and "the spread of universal values." Moreover, the participants of the OTG believe that one of the main tasks is to "contribute to the development of comprehensive inclusive global governance", meaning by this the reforms and revitalization of the UN.
Ideologically neutral approach causes additional attractiveness of OTG as a practically oriented project. Transport, energy, science and education, technology, space, medicine, tourism, media, youth cooperation – most of the Project "Turkic Global Vision 2040" is devoted to practical interaction in these areas.
Since Turkmenistan joined the OTG as an observer country, it has been advocating for the Organization to become an effective mechanism for influencing political events in the world. This thesis was again voiced at the last Samarkand summit of the OTG countries by the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty Milli Gengesh Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who was invited there as an honorary guest.
In Samarkand, the Afghan issue was also identified as an integral part of cooperation in the field of regional security, which is due to the fact that some of the OTG member countries are neighbors of Afghanistan, have a special historical connection and legitimate interests with it. Therefore, to a certain extent they are also responsible for the events taking place in this country.
Turkmenistan, having joined the Organization of Turkic States in observer status, actively contributes to building the capacity of the OTG in trade, economic, industrial, transport, environmental, cultural and humanitarian fields.
One of the urgent tasks of the OTG for the foreseeable future should be the timely use of the competitive advantages of the Organization to ensure the role of a full and effective participant in the formation of new transport and transit corridors and energy routes, the head of the CSI IMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan stressed.
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