Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The second meeting of the secretaries of the Security Councils of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held in the capital, Dunyo news agency reports.

The meeting, chaired by the Secretary of the Security Council under the President of Uzbekistan Viktor Makhmudov, was attended by the secretaries of the Security Councils of Azerbaijan - Ramil Usubov, Kazakhstan - Gizat Nurdauletov, Kyrgyzstan - Marat Imankulov, Secretary General of the National Security Council under the Administration of the President of Turkey - Seyfullah Hadzhimuftuoglu, and also the General Secretary of the UTG Kubanychbek Omuraliev.

The head of our state addressed the forum participants with a greeting, which was read by the special representative of the President of Uzbekistan for foreign policy issues, Abdulaziz Kamilov.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted the dynamically growing potential and authority of the organization as a clear confirmation of the power of friendship and cohesion. The appeal emphasizes that over the past year, under the chairmanship of Uzbekistan, significant and multifaceted work has been done in the OTS.

Thus, more than 30 major events have already been held, covering all areas and areas of multilateral cooperation. High marks were also given to the mechanism of meetings of the secretaries of the Security Councils of the OTS member states in the context of the special significance of the joint work of the competent departments in finding ways to overcome modern security challenges and stable development in the OTS space.

During the meeting, a wide range of issues in the field of combating terrorism, extremism, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime were discussed. The parties also discussed intensifying cooperation on mitigating the effects of climate change, preventing and responding to emergencies and other current challenges and threats.

The secretaries of the Security Councils of the OTS member countries noted the commonality of approaches to issues on the regional agenda and emphasized the need to further expand interdepartmental contacts on the practical aspects of ensuring sustainable development. Particular attention was drawn to the importance of establishing a permanent mechanism for meetings between the secretaries of the OTS Security Councils. It was noted that this will allow coordinating the dialogue between competent authorities and timely developing joint decisions on current issues of the common agenda.

In general, at the meeting, initiatives and recommendations were voiced to expand practical cooperation in the field of security within the framework of the OTS, and the importance of continuing the intensive dynamics of cooperation and giving it new impetus by tapping into untapped potential was emphasized.

A number of bilateral meetings also took place on the sidelines of the meeting. Secretary of the Security Council under the President of Uzbekistan Viktor Makhmudov held negotiations with colleagues from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, as well as with the Secretary General of the OTS. 

During the conversations, the parties exchanged views on issues of regional security, the situation in Afghanistan, as well as the intensification of ties between law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, defense departments and ministries of emergency situations, both on the basis of bilateral cooperation and within the framework of the OTS. During the meetings, a commitment to maintaining constructive interaction and a determined commitment to expanding and deepening cooperation in the security field, including joint efforts to strengthen the legal framework and develop mechanisms for practical interaction, were confirmed.

The first meeting of this format was organized by the Turkish side in June 2022.

Uzbekistan became a full member of the OTS (formerly the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States - CCTS) in October 2019, and last year, after the organization’s summit in Samarkand, our country took over the chairmanship of the OTS.