Turkic States Support Creation of TÜRKPOL Police Alliance

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan backed Turkey's initiative to establish TÜRKPOL — a police alliance of Turkic states. Turkey's Interior Minister Mustafa Cifci announced this to journalists following the third meeting of interior ministers from member states of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Astana, according to AZERTAJ.

According to Cifci, the creation of TÜRKPOL will strengthen cooperation among Turkic states in combating international crime.

At the Astana meeting, simplified movement of citizens between OTS countries was also discussed. In particular, participants examined the possibility of opening unified passport control points at airports for citizens of Turkic states — following the model used in European Union countries. Another agenda item was the introduction of travel between OTS countries using identity cards instead of passports.

Cifci clarified that such a mechanism already operates between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, as well as between Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Turkish side considers it appropriate to extend this system to other Turkic states.