Foreign Minister Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu attends Informal Meeting of Council of Foreign Ministers of OTS

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu attended the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) convened on July 6, 2024 on the sidelines of the Informal Summit of the OTS in Shusa, Azerbaijan.

Minister Ertuğruloğlu met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, and Foreign Ministers of Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Hungary within the framework of his meeting at the Informal Summit of the OTS. The Secretary General of the OTS, Kubanichbek Omuraliev, was also present at the meeting.

The Council of Foreign Ministers meeting began with an opening speech by Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Minister Ertuğruloğlu also addressed the meeting.

In his speech, Minister Ertuğruloğlu emphasized the brotherhood, common cultural heritage, and mutual relations between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Republic of Azerbaijan and stated that, “Azerbaijan’s victory in Karabakh is the victory and pride of the entire Turkic World. We, as the TRNC, celebrated this victory as well and shared the joy of our Azerbaijani brothers.”

Minister Ertuğruloğlu also underlined the historic significance of President Ersin Tatar’s meeting with President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Baku on October 14, 2023, and the establishment of the TRNC Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group which has furthered relations between the two nations.

Minister Ertuğruloğlu expressed that they have been trying to overcome the devastating consequences of the inhumane political, economic, and unjust isolation and embargoes imposed on Turkish Cypriots for many years with the support of Türkiye. Ertuğruloğlu emphasized that the support of the Republic of Azerbaijan has further strengthened the TRNC further, and it is expected that the same steps will be taken by other OTS countries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye Hakan Fidan also addressed the Council of Foreign Ministers, emphasizing the inherent rights of the TRNC and calling on the  OTS member states to establish direct contacts, direct trade, and direct flights with the TRNC.

Fidan stated that the TRNC should have the highest level of representation within the OTS and must attend to the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the OTS which will be hosted by Kyrgyzstan. Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated the unwavering support of the Republic of Türkiye for the just cause of the Turkish Cypriot people, expressing that the inherent rights of the Turkish Cypriot people who are an inseparable part of the Turkic World, must be protected.

Following the Council meeting, Minister Ertuğruloğlu held a bilateral meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

During his visit to Shusha, Minister Ertuğruloğlu was accompanied by the TRNC Representative to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Ufuk Turganer, Director of Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asu Muhtaroğlu, and Third Secretaries of the Ministry Esma Eroğlu and Görkem Reis.