Turkic Speaking States to continue working with OSCE on addressing common challenges, senior officials tell OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna

VIENNA, 23 July 2015 – Turkic Speaking States will continue working with the OSCE to build a security community across the Eurasian space and to effectively address common challenges, said the Secretary General of the Co-operation Council of Turkic Speaking States, Ramil Hasanov, and the Secretary General of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA), Jandos Asanov, in their addresses to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today.

“Our four member states, who are also the OSCE participating States, will continue to contribute to the building of a community that is free of dividing lines and conflicts,” said Hasanov. Noting that 2015 marks the 40^th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, Hasanov said that this document’s unforgettable legacy and everlasting principles must guide the future of Eurasia as it navigates through a particularly challenging period.

Asanov said that the TURKPA will maintain close ties and dialogue with the OSCE and its institutions, focusing on combating corruption, good governance, human rights, environmental protection, cultural and humanitarian co-operation, election observation and continued co-operation with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. “We share the same goals and objectives in ensuring sustainable development and prosperity in the OSCE area.”

The TURKPA, established in 2008, and the Co-operation Council, established in 2009, aim to strengthen and promote comprehensive collaboration among four Turkic Speaking States - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.