Ilham Aliyev Urges Turkic States to Build Strategic Security Architecture

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan hosted the Fifth Meeting of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on September 17, 2026, in Baku. Addressing security officials from Türkiye, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Aliyev characterized the OTS as an organization with great international authority and urged member states to transform it into one of the world's leading international institutions.

Aliyev emphasized that the Turkic world must establish a long-term strategic security architecture to neutralize hybrid threats, including cyberattacks, international terrorism, and religious extremism. He noted that regional and energy security are critical as conflicts expand along the perimeter of their borders, stating that "Wars are raging around us, with no end or resolution in sight."

Chaired by Colonel General Ramil Usubov at the Heydar Aliyev Center, the meeting focused on the implementation of the 2025 Gabala Declaration and the integration of artificial intelligence into national development. Aliyev highlighted the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor and the Zangezur Corridor, asserting that Azerbaijan's recent regional victory has created a new geopolitical reality that facilitates these vital transport links between Europe and Asia.