Erdogan calls Kazakhstan-Azerbaijan oil transportation agreement important

Ankara considers the agreement between Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan on the transportation of Kazakh oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to be important.

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made the statement while speaking to journalists accompanying him on his trip to the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Turkestan.

The Turkish leader expressed confidence in the further strengthening of energy cooperation among Turkic countries, recalling that during his current visit to Kazakhstan, Turkish Petroleum reached agreements with Kazakh partners on the development of oil and gas fields.

Erdogan also recalled that the OTS summit will be held in Türkiye later this year.

“During our chairmanship, we will make great efforts both to strengthen the organization internally and to reinforce its role on the international stage. I do not think we will face difficulties on this path,” he said, emphasizing the “enormous economic, cultural and strategic potential of the Turkic world.”

According to him, it is now very important to realize this potential and achieve further progress in all areas, especially diplomacy, energy, trade, transport, security and defense. “Just as our ancestors strengthened the power of the Turkic world by ensuring justice, we too, as strong and sovereign countries, are capable of achieving what we desire,” the Turkish president said.

Sharing his expectations for the NATO summit in Ankara in July, Erdogan noted that Türkiye is ready to contribute to strengthening the North Atlantic Alliance’s resolve and readiness to counter threats and challenges.

“Today’s world is not a continuation of the old world order. A new system of relations is emerging, and NATO’s position in this new world is entirely different. Threats are becoming more complex, and the global legal system has weakened. In short, the world is changing dramatically. Fair burden-sharing and a common security vision within NATO are of decisive importance for the future of the alliance,” the Turkish leader said.

Commenting on the escalation in the region, Erdogan stressed the importance of long-term stability: “All actors should abandon short-term calculations. Countries must protect their own rights and the interests of their citizens, rather than following the lead of international corporations or external players.”