According to the figures of 2005, between 1992 and 2005 (Refer Chart 1 attached)

Turkey has extended significant military assistance and training to enable them counter threats to their security and independence and has not left these countries to their fate, while the political price for seeking security assistance from other sources have been high.

Turkey has provided a large scholarship grant to Central Asian countries. Since 1992, over 21,000 scholarships have been awarded to students from the region. Of these, over 14,000 were used (Refer Chart 2 attached). Currently, nearly 3,000 Central Asian students continue their education in Turkey on these scholarships. There are 269 Turkish schools in these countries including eight universities (Refer Chart 3 attached).

The support given by Turkey has not been pre-conditioned upon the progress in democratisation and market reform, with the belief that democratic institutions would develop gradually as stability enhances and restructuring of the states improve. The support provided by Turkey may seem modest compared to declared economic aid and grants of western countries. However, it proved to be precious to the newly independent states of the region as it has contributed to the creation of a sense of belonging and self confidence in these countries. Central Asia constitutes a major priority in Turkish Foreign Policy, adding a new dimension to the Turkish foreign policy.

Here, we have to note that ethnicity did not and does not play a significant role in the foundation of Turkish nation and tribes. On the contrary, it was customary to adopt the children born from foreign pregnant women prisoners of war as their own. All the Turks, who emigrated, mixed with local populations. The only prerogative of these interactions was that the locals should adopt Turkish and later Islamic Turkish customs. So Turks are one of the few nations, whose formation was around a language rather than common ethnic roots.

The first common Turkish State universally accepted, i.e. by all Turks who identify themselves as such at present time extending from Far East to the Mediterranean, is Göktiirk (Blue Turk) or Grand Turkish Kaganate. Orhun Valley inscriptions in North West Mongolia written in original runic Turkish alphabet are also accepted as the first complete literary texts as apart from grave stone inscriptions. Since it is customary with the Turks to fight amongst themselves first, as they saw the other Turk as the most dangerous adversary and only then unite around the victor and fight against common enemies, it is hard to find a commonly recognised historical state after the Göktiirk. One telling example of this attitude is Timur’s expedition to West to destroy the Ottoman Sultan Beyazit without intending to occupy Ottoman lands, before turning to other enemies.

However, the Government was also very careful not to antagonise the Soviets (Read Russians) for we had realised it was a strategic necessity for Turkey to start the second stage of our relations with a powerful neighbour. From good neighbourly to friendly relations and with whom we had just signed a treaty, article 16 of which envisaged “the Soviet state would encourage development of relations of Turkey with the Soviet Republics”. At the same time, economic relations were going ahead mainly based on 1984 gas agreement which stipulated 70 per cent of the payments for the gas bought to be effectuated through provision of Turkish goods and services. Thus, Turkish consumer goods were finding their way to the vast Soviet market and more importantly, Turkish contractors had started to build in the Soviet Union putting an end to Finnish and Yugoslav cornering major share of the market.

Central Asian States have taken very significant steps in nation building process as well as in economic development by opening their countries for foreign investment and diversifying their commercial relations with various countries besides their traditional economic ties with Russia.

Turkey’s trade and economic ties with these countries far outweigh its overall place in the world trade as a whole. For instance, Turkey is the third investor country in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Turkish companies contribute to the 10 per cent of GDP of Turkmenistan. 60 per cent of constructions in Astana, new capital of Kazakhstan, have materialised by the Turkish firms. Turkey is the third trade partner of Azerbaijan and is among the primary trade partners of Uzbekistan. The Grand Project of the early nineties, Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan pipeline, has been completed. Azerbaijani oil flowing through this pipeline will be joined by Kazakh oil. Another pipeline planned between Samsun to Ceyhan will also carry additional Central Asian oil to world markets. Furthermore, when Turkey accelerates its economic development it will be in a better position to further contribute in diversification and increase of economic exchanges and intercourse with the region.

Since independence of the Caucasian and Central Asian countries, more than14,000 students have studied in Turkey. There are 269 Turkish educational institutions in these countries, some of which are sponsored by the Turkish government (refer Chart 3 attached). Two Universities, Ahmet Yesevi in Kazakhstan and Manas in Kyrgyzstan have been built directly by the Turkish Government at a cost exceeding 100 million US dollars. Most of the annual administrative expenses of these two institutions are still met by the Turkish Government. These institutions are well respected. Besides, many of the military officers of these countries are educated in the Turkish Military academies or trained by the Turkish officers in their own countries. In addition, some common cultural monuments including great Sufi Ahmet Yesevi’s Tomb in Kazakhstan and last grand Seljuk Emperor Sultan Sancar’s Tomb in Turkmenistan have been restored by Turkey.

The process of 'Summits of Turkish Speaking Countries' brings together Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan at the highest level. The next Summit is to be organised in Antalya, Turkey this fall. The purpose of the Summit is to facilitate exchange of opinion at the highest level on major international questions and on matters of multilateral cooperation. It is not an organisation as such but a consultative process.

These nations were used to living under Soviet umbrella which, while oppressing them also provided protection from external and internal threats. After independence they were obliged to cope with the challenges of nation building, new security threats and sustainable development. Moreover, all these challenges had to be met and dealt with in an atmosphere of exposure to external influences. Integration with the rest of the world, which meant participation of external actors that were alien to the region and who were determined to impose their way of doing things for accepting new members to the family of nations of the new world order. In other words, if the East wanted to meet the West, it had to be on western terms.

Prior to the Russian rule, people used to identify themselves with their attachment to their families, clans or sometimes religious faith. The establishment of republics under the Soviet rule rendered the situation more complex. Artificial boundaries caused division among local peoples. A policy of “national engineering” was put into practice.

All Central Asian countries have certain minorities. Such national minorities cause concern and tension in intra-regional relations. There are Russians in these Republics, mostly in Kazakhstan, Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan and Tajiks in Uzbekistan.

Ethnic mix of former Soviet states and the tradition inherited from Soviet “Nationalities Policy” which favoured lesser ethnic groups against larger ones made nation building difficult and encouraged separatism. Moreover, the discrepancies between ethnic and political boundaries carried the danger of clashes. The first response of leadership to these challenges was maintenance of authoritarian regimes and strengthening of central authority. Second response was to seek security through regional organisations. However, new security threats have led them to seek supplementary remedies. In the immediate aftermath of independence, these countries embraced the idea of regional integration as a strategy to ensure development and economic independence and to solve their common social and environmental problems. However, it soon became clear that dissimilarities between them outweigh the similarities.

Demarcation of state borders is ongoing between these Republics and causes tensions sometimes. The-unresolved legal status of Caspian Sea, which is vital for exploitation and transportation of energy resources, constitutes yet another dispute. Disputes exist over water and energy resources and mutual dependence as regards water resources and energy is another source of instability. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are rich in water resources while Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are rich in oil and natural gas. Uzbekistan is dependent upon Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan for water supplies, while Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are dependent upon Uzbekistan for natural gas. Regional countries don’t hesitate to cut supplies in case a dispute arises over payments. Distribution of natural resources, water supplies, transport systems etc. dictate unhindered economic cooperation amongst these states.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asia has been exposed to the influence and competition of major powers due to its geo-strategic location and vast supplies of raw materials, especially natural gas and oil. It is for the benefit of those countries to develop relations with all their neighbours as well as with the leading powers (the USA, Russia, the EU, China, Japan etc.). Russia’s influence on Central Asia has a long history extending over a millennium and she has developed close relations of historical, cultural and geopolitical nature with Central Asian countries. China is a contiguous neighbour of the Central Asian states. It has a long border, mostly in Xinjiang (Uyghur Autonomous Regions) with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan and is influenced by the developments in the region. China due to her strategic interests in the region, which includes strengthening security cooperation and stability, extending economic and trade relations and acquiring energy resources, is keen on developing cooperation with Central Asian countries. China and Russia as major economic and military powers, play a leading role in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), set up for enhancing multilateral cooperation in strengthening regional security. The USA, developed her relations with Central Asian countries since their independence and the region's priority in the US foreign policy especially increased after 11 September 2001 incident and military campaign in Afghanistan. The US strategic aims include cooperation in fighting terrorism.

The Central Asian states have their own political, socio-economic and cultural characteristics and phases for development. Therefore, attempts to impose models of political or economic systems on those countries may have severe destabilising consequences threatening regional and global security. The Central Asian countries will pass through their own nation-building processes moving towards democracy and liberal economy. The external actors should avoid enforcing models for influencing the political and economic dynamics in those countries.

Turkey encourages Central Asian countries to enhance friendly relations with their neighbours as well as other countries, to expand their multilateral and bilateral relations, and to play an active role in international organisations. However, the prosperity of those countries depends primarily on strengthening cooperation and solving of disputes among themselves. The development of regional cooperation in Central Asia, is the key for their success.

With respect to India one has to underline that India has historical relations and deep roots with the Central Asian countries. Turkish dynasties that have ruled India and the trade via the silk route established strong ties between India and Central Asia. It is without doubt ideal for India and Central Asian states to exchange technology for natural resources. India as one of the world’s fastest growing economies is increasingly dependent on imported energy, whereas Central Asian countries need technology and know how for their economic development. However, it would be difficult to have bilateral cooperation due to the regional unfavourable conditions, emanating mainly from the instability in Afghanistan. On the other hand, Pakistan would not be a hindrance for India’s cooperation with Central Asian states. Pakistan has vested interests as a transit route between India and Central Asia. Therefore, both countries can benefit from expanding cooperation with Central Asian countries. Moreover, there is great scope for Indian-Turkish cooperation in the area. The experience that Turkish firms
have accumulated over the years in the area will greatly contribute to the success of joint ventures, some of which are already underway.

Religious extremism is considered as one of the major threats to security in Central Asia by some scholars especially after the rise of “Islamic” terrorism in the last few years. These fears were based both on the internal dynamics within the Central Asian Republics and on the influence from the countries situated in the South and South West of the region.

We cannot talk of any serious religious extremist threat in Central Asia, perhaps with the exception of Ferghana Valley of Uzbekistan. The Central Asian governments are all secular and the leadership is sensitive towards religious extremism. As a matter of fact, all the people in Central Asia follow the Sunni sect of Islam. Propaganda could not take any root even in Azerbaijan, a Caucasian Turkish state where the majority of the population is shi’ite. This is due to the interpretation of Islamic religion by the Turkish people which has never been in a fundamentalist manner. Following their acceptance of Islam in the 9th century, Turks combined their shamanistic traditions with the Islamic teaching. Therefore, the way they practice religion does not give any space to fundamentalist approaches. In Tajikistan, where people speak Dari, the same language Persian (Farsi) of Iran, the religious extremism could not be disseminated. Therefore, religious extremism cannot be mentioned as a challenge to the Central Asian states.

Turkey is a pivotal country in this large area not only with its geography, but its history and its modern and progressive mentality as well. Its strategic importance in the area is not simply a derivative of its geographical location. Its level of development, its alliances and the relations that encompass political, economic, military, cultural spheres, it has cultivated in the area over the years are all components of its strategic value (Turkey is among the first 20 countries in the world in terms of national income).

Turkey encourages Central Asian countries to cultivate friendly relations with their neighbours. However, we believe that development of relations, side stepping or solving of problems that exist, amongst themselves is the most important element of their stability and economic welfare. They should bear in mind that Central Asia is a single economic space and reaping the benefits of their economies is dependent on the degree of cooperation they achieve.