On November 6, the 11th Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkish States (TDT) was held in Bishkek. The president of Azerbaijan at the supreme DTT summit Ilham Aliyev also participated.
“Caspian” newspaper article on the subject.
The power of Azerbaijan and Türkiye in DTT
Azerbaijan and Türkiye are the main forces of the TDT, and these two strategic allies make the organization’s victory in the context of the conflict between Russia, China and the West. States covering the Central Asian region, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, are in the process of adapting to the regional order formed by the strategic alliance of Baku and Ankara as full members. All of this makes both the DTT member states and the observer countries interested parties on the basis of bilateral and multilateral mutual responsibility. Furthermore, DTT gains a status beyond the place where economic and political resources are concentrated. At a time when global spheres of influence are being formatted, TDT, together with the economic portfolio, is becoming a geostrategic organization in the direction of creating political-ideological solidarity, unified national unity and common military power. We can say that in the meeting between the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Bishkek, the objective of continuing to advance the strategic alliance of Baku and Ankara in DTT was discussed.
Placing Azerbaijan and Türkiye at the heart of DTT by highlighting their common interests represents a significant success for the entire region and the international geopolitical scene. Thus, DTT develops a global creed, evading regional frameworks, and appeals to an alternative platform for cooperation in the context of the conflict between Russia, the West and China. Now both Beijing, Moscow and the Euro-Atlantic region are interested in installing their showcases on the platform in question.
Ilham Aliyev’s deep strategic thinking
The strategy and sharp intelligence of Azerbaijan’s leader Ilham Aliyev played an important role in the formation of TDT and its positioning in the geopolitical order. The awarding of the “Chingiz Aytmatov” order to Ilham Aliyev in Bishkek can be considered a tribute to his personality and strategic intelligence.
It should be noted that Ilham Aliyev correctly analyzed the direct and indirect effects on Azerbaijan of the events that took place in the South Caucasus region and beyond during the Karabakh conflict. When DTT was created in Nakhichevan in 2009, Ilham Aliyev measured the effects of this organization on the world and the region and calculated its strategic benefits for Azerbaijan. Now DTT is freeing itself from the degree of global dependence, acquiring a value that can guarantee regional peace and security.
Ilham Aliyev’s statement at the 11th Summit: “The Karabakh Declaration signed at the Informal Summit of Heads of State held in Shusha in July contributes to further deepening cooperation” reflects the path followed by DTT. DTT already bases its realities on the geography that extends from the South Caucasus to Central Asia to guarantee the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. In this sense, the alignment of the Zangezur Corridor, a strategic project of Azerbaijan, with the parameters of the Middle Corridor, a trade route that starts from China and passes through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey towards Europe, gives a positive direction to the situation. geoeconomic. DTT vector.
President Ilham Aliyev said: “A number of projects are currently being implemented in the direction of digitization of the Middle Corridor and trade facilitation. These projects will increase logistics efficiency and reduce costs.”
This quote from the President demonstrates that special attention must be paid to all the necessary parameters for DTT to be a great strategic alliance in the Middle Corridor, including the directions of digitalization. This direction is valuable among the factors that increase the importance of the Zangezur corridor. Of course, this sets up a trend that will strengthen the TDT team, which is actually led by Azerbaijan and Türkiye, and may even turn it into a possible military alliance.
COP29 and DTT
The Bishkek TDT summit is also important in terms of increasing regional support for the prestigious international event COP29, which will be held in Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22. In the speeches given on the sidelines of the summit and at Ilham Aliyev’s meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, giving a special place to COP29 creates a counter to the forces carrying out an information campaign against Azerbaijan. This is a signal to the West, which understands the importance of Azerbaijan, among other things because:
– Azerbaijan plans to export green energy to Europe, in addition to traditional energy resources,
– Without Azerbaijan, the chances of realizing the Middle Corridor, which is important for the European Union, are slim.
Within the framework of DTT, after expressing strong support for Azerbaijan within the framework of COP29, the West’s position vis-à-vis Baku is weakening. The West will therefore be interested in deepening existing agreements to improve relations with Azerbaijan, rather than sabotaging them.
After COP29, Baku’s position will be strengthened due to the West’s interest in Azerbaijan’s energy resources and plans to increase their import. This will provide an additional portfolio to DTT’s strategic assets.
