Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  On 6 November, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Turkic States Organization (TSO) in Bishkek.

The event was chaired by President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and attended by the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and the Secretary General of the TSO, Kubanychbek Omuraliev.

The meeting focused on expanding cooperation within the organization and addressing the current challenges and practical interaction among member states. President Mirziyoyev emphasized that the global geopolitical situation has significantly complicated since the previous meetings in Astana and Shusha. Increasing competition and mistrust between major powers, along with emerging hotspots of tension, pose obstacles to joint plans and large-scale projects in sectors such as trade, investment, transportation, energy, and agriculture.

In this context, the Uzbek President underscored the importance of continuing systemic dialogue on policy and security issues, developing a unified position on international matters based on the common interests of the TSO member countries. One key topic was the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as well as the double standards seen in international politics. Uzbekistan condemned the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and Lebanon and called for the creation of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Attention was also drawn to the situation in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan advocated for the development of continuous dialogue with Afghanistan at the ministerial and expert levels, stressing the need to support the current government and involve Afghanistan in regional economic processes.

In his speech, the President of Uzbekistan highlighted the importance of adopting the Charter of the Turkic World, which reflects the strengthening of cooperation among TSO countries. He also proposed expanding the legal framework of the organization, including the adoption of a Treaty on Strategic Partnership, Eternal Friendship, and Brotherhood of Turkic States.

Mirziyoyev suggested creating space for new economic opportunities within the organization, including the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers, simplifying trade procedures, and developing electronic trade platforms. He also put forward an initiative to create a forum for leading analytical centers to conduct in-depth research aimed at expanding the trade potential of TSO countries.

Other key proposals included the creation of a Turkic Investment Forum, activation of the Turkic Investment Fund, the establishment of the Turkic Development Bank, and the introduction of financial instruments to support investment processes. Amid global economic challenges, there was a proposal to optimize the use of transport corridors, simplify transit tariffs, and create modern logistics systems.

Representatives of the organization also stressed the need to develop a Concept for the Digital Turkic World, aimed at integrating future technologies and exchanging experience in the fields of information technology and innovation.

The President of Uzbekistan emphasized the importance of establishing a Turkic Environmental Council to address climate change issues and expressed readiness to hold its first meeting in Uzbekistan next year.

At the conclusion of the summit, the Bishkek Declaration, the Charter of the Turkic World, and a number of agreements on key areas of cooperation were adopted.