The Paradigm of Soft Power and the Importance of the Organization of Turkic States: Perspective from Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

The concept of soft power, which has been introduced to International Relations studies by Joseph S. Nye Jr., has become an integral element of states’ foreign policies, particularly since the end of the bipolar system. Türkiye has made significant use of soft power in its foreign policy since the 1990s. The Turkic states of the Caucasus and Central Asia have particularly benefited from Türkiye’s soft power approach, which was instrumental in the foundation of the Turkic Council in 2009 – renamed as the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in 2021. The cooperation among the Turkic states dates back to the voluntary disintegration of the Soviet Union which resulted in the peaceful resolution of the Cold War as one of the major international conflicts. The collapse of the Soviet Union also prepared the ground for the restoration of the links between the Turkic-speaking peoples who share common cultural, linguistic and religious roots. However, the geopolitical climate in the initial period was not conducive to reach this long awaited goal. As a result, the cooperation in the Turkic world has had ups and downs. In other words, it took some time to foster collaboration among the Turkic-speaking states and unleash their true potential even after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, the institutionalization of the Turkic cooperation through the establishment of the OTS was a turning point. Against this background, this article seeks to understand Türkiye’s policies toward the Turkic states from a soft power perspective. After reviewing the vision put forward by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with regard to the Turkic world, the article discusses the significance of Türkiye’s approach in the post-Cold War period. It also highlights the use of soft power by the OTS to boost the regional cooperation in the Turkic world. Finally, the article draws attention to the contribution of Kyrgyzstan to the soft power dimension of the OTS.

Keywords

• Turkic world
• Organization of Turkic States
• soft power
• regional cooperation
• Kyrgyzstan

References

1. References are indicated in the article.