Orbán Joined Erdogan And Other Central Asian Presidents To Receive Supreme Order Of The Turkic World: Understanding The Backdrop Of This Summit – OpEd

On November 6, 2024, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the one honored with the “Supreme Order of the Turkic World” award this year. It would be interesting to understand the behind-the-scenes dynamics of this major Summit. Hosted by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, H.E. Sadyr Zhaparov, the Eleventh Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) took place on November 6, 2024, in Bishkek. This Summit brought together leaders from Turkic-speaking countries, all members of the Organization of Turkic States.

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Türkiye, H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister of Hungary, H.E. Viktor Orbán, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, H.E. Ersin Tatar, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Bishkek, H.E. N. Golliyev, and the Secretary General of the OTS, H.E. Ambassador Kubanchbek Omuraliev, attended the Summit.

The Organization of Turkic States is an international organization uniting states with Turkic languages. It was founded on October 3, 2009, in Azerbaijan and includes five member states: Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as three observer states: Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (currently recognized only by Turkey).

It is important to note that these countries share a common history, languages of similar origin, and similar religious beliefs, with the exception of Hungary. All countries, except Hungary, speak Turkic languages and are predominantly Muslim. But why is Hungary part of this Organization? Although Hungary is a Central European country, its roots trace back to the steppes of Central Asia.

Current research places the distant ancestors of the Hungarians in the northern Urals (in present-day Russia) around the second century BCE. From there, they slowly migrated westward, stopping in the Volga region, where they came into contact with Turkic-speaking groups. Historians agree that Hungarians and Turkic-speaking peoples share a common past and may be descendants of the Huns. This is why Hungary is sometimes called the “land of the Huns” (Hun-gary).

The Hungarian language shows similarities with Turkic languages, especially in words that have not been influenced by foreign languages, such as “alma” meaning “apple” and “sakal” meaning “beard,” among others.

Hungary is thus seeking to develop relations not only with the United States, especially under Trump’s administration, and the EU, but also with its Turkic-speaking cousins.

In the Turkic world, Hungary is seen as a bridge to the European Union. Budapest will host the next Summit of the Organization of Turkic States. However, last summer, on July 6, 2024, the European Union’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell reminded Viktor Orbán, who was present at the Turkic States Summit, that he was representing only Hungary, not the European Union, for which Hungary currently holds the rotating presidency.

On the official page of the European External Action Service (EEAS), you can read: “Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s participation at the informal Summit of the Organisation of Turkic States in Shusha on 5-6 July took place exclusively within the framework of bilateral relations between Hungary and this organisation. Hungary is now the EU Member State serving the rotating presidency of the Council until December 31, 2024. That does not entail any external representation of the Union, which is the responsibility of the President of the European Council at the Head of State or Government level and of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the Ministerial level. Hungary has not received any mandate from the EU Council to advance relations with the Organisation of Turkic States.”

The EU appears to have slight opposition to certain aspects of this organization, notably on the issue of recognizing the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

At this Summit, Viktor Orbán received the Supreme Order of the Turkic World. The Supreme Order of the Turkic World is the highest honor of the Organization of Turkic States, awarded by the chairperson of the organization, who is simultaneously the head of state or head of government of one of the member countries.

The Hungarian Prime Minister delivered a speech highlighting his country’s growing closeness with other Turkic-speaking nations.

“Hungary’s trade turnover with Turkic countries exceeded 5 billion US dollars. Last year, for the first time, more than 5,000 students from your countries applied for university scholarships in Hungary. This year you have made a greater contribution than ever to the security of our energy supply. We Hungarians became the first non-neighbouring country to receive natural gas from Türkiye, the first delivery of natural gas from Azerbaijan arrived in Hungary, and the Hungarian oil company started production in the field it operates in Kazakhstan”. (1)

All in all, the summit helped to intensify relations between Turkish-speaking countries, discuss the common alphabet, step up exchanges, establish joint agreements between the countries, and more.

Bibliography 

• Speech by Viktor Orbán at a meeting of heads of state and government of the Organization of Turkic States. (2024, 6 novembre). Retrieved from https://abouthungary.hu/speeches-and-remarks/speech-by-viktor-orban-at-a-meeting-of-heads-of-state-and-government-of-the-organization-of-turkic-states 
• OTS: Statement by the High Representative on the participation of Prime Minister Orbán at the informal summit of the Organisation of Turkic States. (n.d.-b). Retrieved from https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/ots-statement-high-representative-participation-prime-minister-orb%C3%A1n-informal-summit-organisation_en 

1.  Speech by Viktor Orbán at a meeting of heads of state and government of the Organization of Turkic States. (2024, 6 novembre). Retrieved from  https://abouthungary.hu/speeches-and-remarks/speech-by-viktor-orban-at-a-meeting-of-heads-of-state-and-government-of-the-organization-of-turkic-states