10th summit of Turkic speaking countries to open in Istanbul.

15/9 Tass 13

ANKARA, September 15 (Itar-Tass) - The 10th summit of Turkic speaking
countries opens in Istanbul on Wednesday. The Heads of State intend to
finalize the process of founding a new international organization, a
Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking Countries (CCTC), with headquarters
in Istanbul, and to approve the candidacy of a Secretary-General of the
Organization.
The summit will be attended by Presidents Abdullah Gul of Turkey,
Ilkham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, Roza
Otunbayeva of Kyrgyzstan, and Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov of Turkmenistan.
The idea of establishing such a cooperation council was first
suggested at a summit in Antalya in 2006 by Nursultan Nazarbayev. In 2009,
at the forum in Nakhichevan, the idea was sealed in an agreement on the
founding of the new international organization. The CCTC will become the
basis for the establishment of a new regional all-Turkic association
called upon to enhance the unity of the peoples that live in a similar
linguistic and cultural environment and to strengthen political, trade and
economic contacts.
Participants in the summit will also discuss a wide range of
international and regional matters. The agenda also includes an item
concerning the setting up of a consultative and deliberative body, a
Council of Elders. Mustapha Isen, head of the secretariat of the President
of Turkey, is expected to head the Council of Elders.
The summit will be preceded by a meeting at the level of Foreign
ministers and Foreign Ministry officials of Turkic speaking countries.
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