Kazakhstan’s Parliament Approves Protocol Amending Founding Document of the Organization of Turkic States

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Kazakhstan’s Parliament Approves Protocol Amending Founding Document of the Organization of Turkic States

Kazakhstan’s Parliament has approved a protocol amending the Nakhchivan Agreement, the founding document of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), aimed at expanding the rights and participation of observer countries within the organization.

According to a statement from the upper house of the Parliament, the Senate, the protocol was approved during today’s general session. The protocol was initially signed at the OTS Heads of State Summit held in Samarkand on November 11, 2022, following the decision on November 12, 2021, to rename the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States as the Organization of Turkic States.

The statement noted that the protocol, which was approved by the lower house of Parliament (the Mazhilis) last week, was also thoroughly reviewed by the Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations, Defense, and Security. It stated, “The approval of the protocol will create a solid foundation for further cooperation with the Turkic states.”

The statement also emphasized that this protocol, which amends the Nakhchivan Agreement, allows for the formal recognition of the OTS as an international organization under international law and enables broader participation of observer countries in its activities. It further underlined that “Cooperation with the Turkic states is a strategic priority in our country’s foreign policy.”

Senator Alisher Satvaldiyev, speaking during the session, recalled that the protocol, which foresees 10 amendments to the Nakhchivan Agreement, had already been ratified by Türkiye and Azerbaijan. He added that Kazakhstan is considered the ancestral homeland of the Turkic world and attaches great importance to developing relations with member states of the organization.