Informal OTS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Tests Limits of Turkic Coordination

Escalating tensions linked to the widening conflict in the Middle East have tested the political cohesion of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), according to Kazakh political commentator Dzhanibek Suleyev. Recent incidents affecting both Azerbaijan and Turkey — including drone strikes in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and a missile intercepted by Turkish air defenses — have raised security concerns across the wider region. Suleyev argues that developments of this scale might normally prompt an urgent summit of heads of state. Instead, Turkey convened an informal meeting of foreign ministers and senior diplomatic representatives from OTS member states. The gathering took place on March 7, when officials convened at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. According to Turkish media, ministers later met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during their visit. Speaking to The Times of Central Asia, Suleyev drew attention to how the meeting was covered in the media of Central Asian member states. “In the Uzbek press, coverage was limited, and even on the website of their Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there is not a single word about the informal summit of OTS foreign ministers. Kazakhstan, moreover, was represented not by Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev but by his deputy Alibek Bakayev. Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Ministry issued four notes about the trip of its minister Jeenbek Kulubaev to Istanbul, three of which were devoted to the summit, but without any particular details,” Suleyev said. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry published a short summary of the meeting, noting in broad terms that representatives discussed cooperation among Turkic states and regional developments. According to Suleyev, the joint statement adopted after the meeting was difficult to find outside of Azerbaijani media. One of the few outlets to publish the text in full was Azerbaijan’s APA news agency. Much of the statement focused on the incidents affecting Azerbaijan and Turkey, stressing that “any threat to the security of OTS member states causes concern for the entire Organization… The ministers strongly condemned the attacks carried out from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran against the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan, including strikes against civilian facilities and the territory of the Republic of Turkey,” the statement continued. “The rest of the statement boils down to destabilization in the Middle East could lead to a global economic crisis, the Palestinian conflict must be resolved taking into account UN resolutions, and so on,” Suleyev told TCA. One notable event during the meeting was the foreign ministers’ reception by President Erdoğan. Official summaries released by participating governments described the discussion in diplomatic terms. “Kazakh sources wrote that ‘prospects for the development of cooperation within the framework of Turkic cooperation were discussed,’” Suleyev said. Kyrgyz statements used similar language, stating that the “President of Turkey… noted the importance of regular dialogue on current regional and international issues and expressed interest in further developing multilateral cooperation within the framework of the Organization.” “In short, these are streamlined diplomatic formulations without specific details,” Suleyev said. According to a press...

Uzbekistan Urges Restraint as Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Clashes Escalate

Armed clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have intensified, prompting Uzbekistan to call for restraint and a diplomatic resolution. Active hostilities reportedly began after Afghan forces opened fire on Pakistani military posts in mountainous areas along the Durand Line in northwestern Pakistan, according to media reports on February 27. Officials in Uzbekistan view stability along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border as directly linked to Central Asian security. Potential regional risks include the proliferation of illegal weapons, drug trafficking, militant activity, refugee flows, and possible disruptions to trade and transit corridors. Uzbekistan has expanded economic and infrastructure cooperation with Afghanistan in recent years, making border stability a strategic priority for both the country and the wider region. Exchanges of fire lasted more than two hours. Clashes were reported in the Afghan provinces of Khost, Paktia, and Nuristan, as well as near the Torkham border crossing, one of the region’s key transit routes. According to reports from Afghan sources, Afghan forces captured 19 Pakistani checkpoints during a large-scale operation and claimed that approximately 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed. Afghan authorities described the operation as a response to recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory. Kabul reported its own casualties at eight soldiers killed and 11 wounded. Within hours, Pakistan launched a counteroffensive across multiple sections of the border under an operation referred to as “Fury of Truth.” The escalation followed earlier Pakistani airstrikes in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, which Islamabad said targeted fighters linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State-Khorasan. Pakistani officials stated that at least 70 militants were killed, while Taliban authorities asserted that civilian areas had been struck. The United Nations reported at least 13 civilian deaths and seven injuries in Nangarhar and confirmed no civilian casualties in Paktika. As tensions rose, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, said he discussed regional security concerns with Uzbekistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ismatilla Irgashev. In a statement posted on X, Sadiq referred to reports alleging that more than 2,500 Uzbek militants are currently based in Afghanistan, describing them as one of the largest foreign militant groups operating in the country after TTP. United Nations Security Council reports have previously confirmed the presence of several armed groups in Afghanistan, including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. However, independent verification of the current figures cited by Pakistani officials has not been publicly confirmed. Uzbekistan responded through diplomatic channels. Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov held separate phone conversations with Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar. The discussions focused on preventing further escalation and preserving stability along the border. Saidov emphasized the importance of restraint and dialogue, stating that diplomatic engagement must remain the primary mechanism for addressing emerging challenges. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later issued a formal statement expressing deep concern over the deterioration of the situation and calling for an immediate ceasefire, maximum restraint, and the resolution of disagreements through peaceful political and diplomatic means based on respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.