At the recent summit of the Organization of Turkic States, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed deepening cooperation between the countries of the region and Russia. According to him, the Russian side had previously expressed its intention to participate in the organization's activities in the "OTS+" format.
Kazakhstan's position and experts' reaction
The head of Kazakhstan noted that, in order to enhance the OTS's authority, it would be appropriate to consider agreeing to Russia's accession in this format or its participation as an observer. According to Kazakh representatives, such a step could benefit all members of the organization, as well as the Turkic peoples living in Russia.
Analysis of the consequences for the region
Kyrgyz political scientists view Tokayev's initiative as a diplomatic maneuver. Experts have raised the question of whether the balance of power in the organization will change if Russia becomes a member, and how beneficial this is for Central Asian countries.
According to the expert, this is important given that Moscow has traditionally maintained close ties with Turkic peoples.
Potential motives behind the initiative
Some Kazakh political scientists believe that through its initiative Kazakhstan is seeking to counterbalance Turkey's position, as Turkey demonstrates a very active stance within the Organization of Turkic States and sometimes promotes interests that do not align with those of Central Asia.
Thus, experts are analyzing how Russia's participation could affect the overall dynamics and interests of Central Asian countries within the Organization of Turkic States.
