Azerbaijan Envisions Turkic States as 'Prominent International Force'

As they eagerly pursue an expansion of trade relations with the West, the leaders of Turkic states in Eurasia are clearly wary of importing Western values. This dichotomy of interests was on full display at a recent summit of Turkic heads of state, hosted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Aliyev, in his opening remarks at the meeting, held in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Shusha, voiced a desire for the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) to develop into an “influential global entity” capable of protecting regional interests and…