Turkey's president hosts head of Turkic Council

By Sefa Mutlu and Abdullah Tevge

ISTANBUL (AA) - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday hosted Baghdad Amreyev, the newly-appointed secretary-general of the Turkic Council, wishing him success in his new role.

The Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, also known as the Turkic Council, was established in 2009 as an international intergovernmental organization, with the aim of promoting comprehensive cooperation among Turkic speaking states.

Its four founding member states are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey.

According to presidential sources, Erdogan expressed his desire for Istanbul to continue as the center of the council and the protection of the current structure during the meeting.

Erdogan also lent his support to initiatives of the council to obtain an observatory status in the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

He also sought support of member countries in giving an observer status to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the council ahead of its 7th annual summit in Azerbaijan.

"By this summit, we hope to see Uzbekistan as a council member as well. We also think President of Turkmenistan [Gurbanguly] Berdimuhammadov could be invited as a guest of honor," said Erdogan.

Erdogan said he shares the vision of Nursultan Nazarbayev, former president of Kazakhistan, to reform the council and proposed that Nazarbayev, the "wise man of the Turkic world" should become the honorary president of the council.

Sources said the proposal was widely welcomed by other member countries.

Erdogan added that Turkey is in favor of Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TurkPA) continuing its activities as an independent international organization with headquarters in Ankara.

He also said it is important to keep International Organization of Turkic Culture's (TURKSOY) special status and member structure.

* Writing by Vakkas Dogantekin