By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL- On Friday, Turkic leaders gathered in Istanbul for the 10th World Turkic Business Council (DTIK) Congress whose agenda includes building on economic, political and historical ties. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the guest of honor at the two-day event hosted by the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), commented: “The Turkic world is open to development and is engaged in a new awakening, thanks to its strong state tradition.” Erdogan added: “We are working to improve our historic, economic and political ties. We will start a new period for us and for our brothers and sisters in the diaspora.” Erdogan said his goal is to see Turkic nations set aside animosities to unite and solidify ties as a ‘Turkic world,’ and said “Turkiye is doing its part to enable it.”
The Turkish leader explained that the Turkic world is moving into a “new awakening and a new rise.” Erdogan further commented that through the rich history and traditions of Turkic countries, much can be accomplished. He pushed for creating more efficient ways of cooperation and emphasized the Turkic must unite under common goals or risk exposure to bad actors and threats from terrorist groups. Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated that a huge leap forward will be a major infrastructure and transport project linking the Iraqi province of Basra to the Turkish border, set to begin in two months. As Fidan remarked: “We hope to move into the implementation phase of the Development Road Project, which is of great importance for prosperity and stability in the Middle East within the next few months.” This project is part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor signed at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi last week, Fidan said. The project will be based on promoting cooperation between countries based on the location of where three continents converge, he added. Fidan said that for any transport and energy project in the region to be effective, that his country without Turkiye, such a project wouldn’t be sustainable. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route that connects the Turkic nations to Europe via the Caspian Sea and the Development Road to pass through Iraq to Turkiye demonstrate Turkiye’s significance, Fidan added.
