Erdogan to visit Central Asia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to pay an official visit to Kazakhstan on May 14 this year, Tengrinews reported.

According to the report, on March 24 Erdogan held a telephone conversation with President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. At the beginning of the call, the two leaders exchanged greetings on the occasion of Ramadan Eid and the Navruz holiday.

Erdogan also congratulated Tokayev on the successful holding of a nationwide referendum in Kazakhstan and the adoption of a new Constitution. He described it as the result of the country’s leadership’s wise and decisive policy and expressed confidence that it would give a strong boost to Kazakhstan’s development and strengthen its domestic and international potential.

Tokayev, in turn, expressed gratitude to Turkish observers for their active participation and assistance during the referendum process.

Erdogan emphasized the importance of his upcoming state visit to Kazakhstan on May 14, as well as the meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States.

Tokayev noted that these meetings would play an important role in further developing bilateral strategic cooperation and expressed high expectations for the summit of Turkic states’ leaders to be held in Turkistan.

He also stated that Erdogan’s visit to Kazakhstan would be warmly welcomed by the Kazakh people.

Erdogan invited Tokayev to attend the diplomatic forum to be held in Antalya in April, and the invitation was accepted with gratitude.

Earlier, leaders of a number of countries, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, congratulated President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the occasion of Navruz.