Ilber Ortaylı: View on Turks and Turkish history changed thanks to Hungarian Turkology

Thanks to Hungarian Turkology, people's view and attitude towards Turks and Turkish history has changed, a well-known Turkish historian, professor and writer Ilber Ortaylı said in a statement to Report.

Commenting on the informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) held in the Hungarian capital Budapest on May 21, Ortayli said that since Hungary is the country that best studies Turkology, Turkish history and the Turkish language, there is a need to expand relations with it in terms of scientific research:

"Today, neither Germany nor the United States has developed Turkology so strongly. Under the name of Turkology, there are Germany, Austria and some other countries that have been more involved in other activities, espionage and other things. But thanks to Hungarian Turkology, people's view and attitude towards Türkiye and Turks, Turkish history has changed."

Ortaylı believes that Türkiye and Azerbaijan, which have taken on the main function in the OTS, should attach great importance to relations with Hungary in the field of Turkology:

"Joint meetings should be held with Hungarian specialists in Turkology, relations should be established. Türkiye's ties with Hungary in the field of scientific research in Turkology have weakened and need to be strengthened. As well as Azerbaijan. It is advisable to attract a large number of students to this country to train Turkologists and specialists."