Rizzat Tasym: Military‑technical co-op among OTS states to strengthen

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) does not currently present itself as a military alliance, but military‑technical cooperation among member states is expected to grow in the future, said Rizzat Tasym, political scientist and Director of the Center for Institutional Analysis and Reforms at Kazakhstan's Institute of Public Development, in response to Report's question to journalists in Turkistan.

He noted that OTS countries have accumulated significant experience in arms production and military‑technical collaboration, creating a foundation for knowledge exchange among states:

"It is important to recognize that military‑technical cooperation among OTS countries is of great significance. Member states have gained extensive experience in domestic arms production, and there is a platform for exchanging this expertise. Azerbaijan can contribute greatly to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in military‑technical terms, as it has real combat experience."

Tasym emphasized that military preparedness is particularly important for Kazakhstan, and in his view, future OTS integration will be strengthened through joint exercises.

At the same time, he stressed that it is still too early to speak of OTS becoming a full‑fledged military alliance: "So far, no such statements have been made at the level of heads of state."