Examining the Security Dimension of the Organization of Turkic States by Addressing Border Issues: Kyrgyz-Tajik Border Conflict

OpenAlex · English

This study aims to evaluate the Organization of Turkic States’ approach to security with a special focus on border issues in the region after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The emergence of independent states in the Caucasus and Central Asia led to border conflicts with neighbouring countries. While some of these disputes have been resolved through agreements, others persist. Given the potential for border issues to escalate into conflicts, achieving peaceful resolutions is crucial for regional stability and fostering interstate cooperation. Within this framework, 1999 Batken Events hold significant importance. These events not only epitomize the persistent border issues between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan but also bring regional border disputes into the forefront of attention. Today, border disputes present a significant challenge for the Organization of Turkic States, which is expanding its cooperation among member states and claims to pursue an effective security strategy. It can be argued that the OTS’s efficiency in peacefully resolving border disputes, which are sensitive security matters, could directly affect the organization’s future international standing.