Türkiye hosts 12th plenary session of Turkic parliamentary assembly

By Sinan Uslu, Ertugrul Subasi, and Zehra Aydin Turapoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye on Friday held the 12th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic Speaking Countries (TURKPA) in the capital Ankara.

Speaking at the opening speech of the plenary session, Mustafa Sentop, Türkiye's parliament speaker, said TURKPA's most significant task is to increase cooperation and unity among the Turkic world.

"In the coming decades, we will continue to do much more than what has been done in the past decades, and to walk shoulder to shoulder on the same path," said Sentop, who is also the secretary-general of TURKPA.

Highlighting the importance of fostering ties, he said they will be strong to the extent that they can collectively respond to the challenges that will arise.

"If we can control transboundary crises by joining forces and working together, we will truly leave our mark on the 21st century," he added.

"We must be prepared to use and protect our agricultural infrastructure and water resources more efficiently in accordance with the requirements of the current century, before deep-rooted problems that we may encounter in the 21st century," he said.

Sentop said that they want a fairer world and that a solution can be reached with "parliamentary diplomacy where traditional diplomatic initiatives are insufficient. We will continue to work for a fairer world order, especially in the fields of food and energy."

Also, The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) became a TURKPA observer member with the unanimous decision of the Parliamentary Assembly of the TURKPA Council.

Expressing his gratitude to parliament speakers for their support, Sentop said: "Turkish Cypriots are an integral part of the Turkic world. Together, we are strong."

Additionally, the Ankara Declaration was accepted at the end of the plenary session held in the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

In the declaration, hate crimes against the holy Quran in the recent period were condemned.

Emphasis was placed on the further development of transport infrastructure, including the opening of the Zangezur corridor immediately, which will contribute to strengthening cooperation in transport and communication, improving transport connectivity, and increasing the transit capacity of the region.