Turkish, Kazakh presidents discuss ties, regional issues
President Erdoğan shakes hands with President Tokayev during a meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, October 14, 2022. (İHA Photo)


President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev Monday. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional and global issues.

"During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on topics that may be on the agenda of the Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which will be held in Kazakhstan in November," Türkiye's Communications Directorate said on X.

The summit was last held in Ankara in March.

The OTS was established in 2009 as an intergovernmental organization to promote comprehensive cooperation among Turkic States. Its four founding member states are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Türkiye.

Uzbekistan joined as a full member in October 2019. Hungary received observer status at the organization in September 2018, and Turkmenistan followed the move in November 2021. The 10th-anniversary summit will take place on Nov. 5 in Astana. Kazakhstan is expected to take over the chairmanship from Uzbekistan.

Türkiye is the first country which recognize Kazakhstan and the two maintain close ties interwoven with a common cultural and historical heritage.

Kazakhstan is one of Türkiye's key economic and political allies in Central Asia as Ankara strives to boost cooperation with Turkic states in the region. In 2009, the two countries signed a strategic partnership agreement and later, set up a high-level strategic cooperation council.

In time, trade volume increased between countries while Turkish investments in Kazakhstan proliferated, particularly in the construction sector. Kazakhstan has also been host to talks on Türkiye's neighbor Syria as countries seek a peaceful resolution to civil war in the country.

Most recently, Astana also hosted a meeting of Turkish officials and officials representing the Assad regime in a bid to normalize the ties.