Mehmet Seyfettin Erol: Without Azerbaijan and Türkiye, integration of the Turkic World and Central Asia is impossible

Without Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the integration of the Turkic world and Central Asia is impossible. According to Minval Politika, this was stated by Mehmet Seyfettin Erol, Director of the Ankara Center for Strategic Studies (ANKASAM), at the First Shusha Forum of Azerbaijani and Turkish think tanks.

He emphasized that after the Second Karabakh War, the positions of Azerbaijan and Türkiye in the region have significantly strengthened: “Azerbaijan’s and Türkiye’s leading roles in the Turkic world, as well as their deterrent military capabilities, are of exceptional importance. Without Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the integration of the Turkic world and Central Asia is impossible. The Turkic world’s self-confidence has grown considerably. Notably, the psychological environment related to Russia has changed. As a result, the Central Asian states have gained greater freedom to act independently. This is especially visible in the context of Russia–China relations.”

The expert added that the “Central Asia + Azerbaijan” format will gradually strengthen and expand further:

“We see that the ‘Central Asia + Azerbaijan’ format opens the way to a new model that could even encompass South Asia. This is an extremely important development. The new structuring process in the region and a more predictable political environment are of great significance for integration within the Organization of Turkic States.”