TÜRKPA moves to gain observer status in OSCE Parliamentary Assembly

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic States (TÜRKPA) is seeking to secure observer status within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, according to information provided by the organisation to Caliber.Az.

The initiative was discussed during a meeting between TÜRKPA Secretary General Ramil Hasan, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General Roberto Montella, and OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro. The talks took place on the sidelines of the 25th Winter Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly held in Vienna.

During the discussions, the sides focused on expanding cooperation between the two parliamentary institutions, including reciprocal participation in joint initiatives and forthcoming international conferences. Participants also reviewed progress in preparing the documentation required for TÜRKPA to obtain observer status in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which unites representatives from 57 countries. The completed documents are expected to be submitted to the Assembly’s International Secretariat in the coming days.

TÜRKPA is an interparliamentary organisation designed to strengthen dialogue, coordination, and cooperation among the legislatures of Turkic-speaking states. It was founded in 2008 under the Istanbul Agreement by the parliaments of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Türkiye, with additional states and observers later joining its activities.

The organisation’s core objectives include promoting parliamentary diplomacy, encouraging closer political coordination, harmonising legislation through the exchange of legal experience, supporting democratic and parliamentary practices, and expanding cooperation in economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. TÜRKPA also conducts election observation missions among member states.

Institutionally, TÜRKPA operates through a General Assembly serving as its main decision-making body, specialised standing commissions dealing with legal, economic, social, and cultural matters, and a permanent Secretariat headquartered in Baku. Overall, it functions as a parliamentary platform complementing broader cooperation frameworks among participating countries, helping align policies and deepen institutional ties through legislative collaboration.

By Tamilla Hasanova