An analysis of the Organization of Turkic States approach to international security issues

Following the end of the Cold War, the Turkic states that gained their independence have faced multifaceted security threats inherited from the Soviet Union, such as border disputes, ethnic conflicts, terrorism, and economic instability. The roots of the organization which was initiated in 1992 with the Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (TDKÜDB) and consolidated its institutional identity in 2009 with the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (TDKÜİK), adopted the name Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in 2021. This study seeks to answer the research question: "How has evolved the approach of the Organization of Turkic States to international security issues shaped?" Within the scope of this thesis, summit declarations and foundational documents spanning the period from the 1992 Ankara Summit to the 2025 Gabala Summit were examined, and interviews were conducted with expert academics and institutional staff. The research reveals how the OTS's security agenda has evolved over time. It was observed that the international security issues addressed by the organization, which initially focused on traditional threats such as terrorism, organized crime, and border disputes, have diversified over time. Notably, the Second Karabakh War was identified as a significant phase that strengthened the common security consciousness and solidarity among member states. The security issues prioritized by the OTS have included terrorism, organized crime, regional conflicts, border problems, climate change, energy security, cybersecurity, humanitarian aid, and defense industry cooperation. In light of all these findings, the study argues that the OTS's international security approach is based on adherence to the UN Charter and international law amidst geopolitical challenges and changing threat perceptions; maintains a flexible structure sensitive to the national interests of member states while gradually increasing its institutionalization; it has expanded quantitatively and qualitatively beyond traditional military matters to encompass human security, hybrid threats, and the diverse geographies of the Turkic world; and exhibits a stable trend towards operational cooperation based on a common security perception.