ASTANA – Escalating tensions in the Middle East could threaten global trade and transport links, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, speaking at the 13th OTS summit in Ankara. Tokayev said the deteriorating geopolitical situation, particularly tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, was negatively affecting global trade, economic ties and transport and logistics chains, including those connecting Turkic states.
“Kazakhstan strongly condemns the unjustified attacks by the Houthi armed movement against brotherly Saudi Arabia,” Tokayev said. He voiced support for calls to end such unlawful actions. Tokayev also emphasized the importance of expanding the OTS’s international engagement through the OTS+ format.
His proposal to include Russia in the organization forms part of Kazakhstan’s broader push to strengthen the organization’s role as a platform for cooperation with regional and international partners. Ahead of the summit, Tokayev and other OTS leaders inaugurated the Alley of the Turkic World in Ankara’s Beştepe Park on Oct.
29. The site features national pavilions representing Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, showcasing the cultures, spiritual traditions and shared historical heritage of Turkic peoples.