At Summit Of Organization Of Turkic States (OTS) In Budapest, Turkish President Erdoğan Urges Member-States: 'We Must Also Think Beyond Our Borders'; 'Stand Against Israel's Expansionism And Support T

Memri

2 days ago

Addressing an informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and held in the Hungarian capital, Budapest, on May 20-21, 2025, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called upon member-states to think outside their borders on global issues such as Gaza, while the OTS leaders expressed support for "the de facto [Taliban] authorities" and called for an inclusive government in Kabul, which was promptly rejected by the Taliban spokesman as interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Billed as "The Meeting Point Of East and West," the summit was attended by heads of OTS member-states: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the Secretary General of the Turkic World Organization, Kubanıçbek Omuraliyev.[1] According to the official website, the OTS includes Northern Cyprus, formally the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is recognized only by Turkey, as an observer state.[2]
Turkmenistan and Hungary also have observer status in the OTS, which was founded by Turkey and others in 2009. The next summit of the OTS will be held in Azerbaijan.
The leaders of OTS member-states at the Budapest summit, May 20-21, 2025.
Addressing the summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged the member-states to "think beyond their borders," stating: "The tragedies that have taken place in the past in Cyprus, Karabakh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and today in Gaza remind us that we must also think beyond our borders."[3] He said: "We overcame challenges and prejudices. Looking back, we are now on an exemplary level. We have more to do, but I believe we will reach our goals with our brothers here."[4]
Speaking about the dire situation in Gaza, Erdoğan also called for taking a stand against Israel. "As the Turkic world, our contributions to efforts for maintaining a cease-fire, uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of Gaza are crucial. We have to stand against Israel's expansionism and support the territorial integrity of Lebanon and Syria."[5]
The Turkish leader stated: "Every occasion where we raise our voices will be addressed to a fairer order, a just share (of resources), and a law-based system that humanity needs. We need to stand for each other as the principle of our fraternity and make our solidarity more visible."[6]
Speaking on the occasion, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban thanked Erdoğan for admitting Hungary as an observer member of OTS and said: "[We] did not expect the OTS to gain such significance when Hungary became an observer state seven years ago. Back then, the Turkic world was on the rise. But at the same time, the development of Europe, where Hungary is, the European Union, dramatically slowed down."[7]
Péter Szijjártó, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade told a press conference held after the summit that Hungary has benefited from increasing cooperation with Turkic states through joint partnerships in sectors such as railways, pharmaceutical, air connectivity, and natural gas. "The region represented by the Organization of Turkic States has become the world's third-largest source of oil and natural gas; so Hungary's good cooperation with these countries is of enormous importance in terms of energy supply," he added.[8]
Szijjártó also disclosed plans to build nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. "Hungary's energy supply would not be as secure as it is today without the Turkic states… This is not a political question but a physical one, given that the majority of natural gas is already transported via the Turkish Stream pipeline," he said and noted that Hungarian companies have acquired stakes in oil and natural gas fields in Azerbaijan and "decisions have been made to build nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with Hungarian technology to be used in the process."[9]
The meet was also notable for the fact that the OTS heads of state issued a joint statement on Afghanistan, which was adopted into the Budapest Declaration signed by the OTS leaders.
According to the joint statement, the OTS leaders agreed to work "to assist the de facto [Taliban] authorities" and Afghan people and to encourage "establishment of a representative administration reflecting the diversity of the Afghan nation"; they called for "respecting human rights, including restoring and ensuring the fundamental rights of all citizens of Afghanistan without any distinction" and urged "taking stronger and more resolute measures in countering terrorism so that the territory of Afghanistan will not be used to threaten or attack any country by terrorist organizations." They also urged enhanced international cooperation through a "performance-based roadmap" for Afghanistan to be "at peace with its people, its neighbors."[10]
The summit leaders also signed the Budapest Declaration.
Despite the OTS leaders' support for the de facto Taliban rulers, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, i.e., the Afghan Taliban) was displeased and saw the statement as interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Afghan Taliban spokesman perhaps angered by call for a "representative administration" and need for protecting human rights, said that the Islamic Emirate will handle its international affairs.[11]