An agreement was signed to establish the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking countries within the tenth summit of Turkic states' leaders in Istanbul, TRT Haber reported.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev initiated the establishing of the organization at a summit in Antalya in 2006. A forum in Nakhchivan three years later resulted in the signing of an agreement to establish the new international structure. The CCTC will be the basis for a new regional Turkic union, which is designed to strengthen the unity of peoples with similar languages and cultures environment, and to strengthen their political and trade relations.
The leaders of Turkic states also agreed on cultural cooperation between peoples, as well as a joint celebration of the 20th anniversary of independence gained after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said at a joint press conference.
Moreover, the agenda includes the establishment of a consultative advisory body. The Council of Elders is expected to be led by head of the Turkish Presidential Secretariat Mustafa Isen.
The next summit will be held in Kazakhstan.