TURKPA

History

Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA) was established on November 21, 2008, according to the Agreement signed by the Heads of parliaments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republic of Turkey in the «Dolmabakhche Saray» located in Istanbul city, Republic of Turkey. On September 29, 2009, the 1st plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA) was conducted in the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku city. The TURKPA Regulations, Articles of Secretariat and Baku Declaration, and Statement regarding the permanent accommodation of the Secretariat in Baku city were adopted at the plenary session. The TURKPA Chairmanship annually hands over from one country to another by means of rotation in the English alphabetical order. The TURKPA Secretariat is the authority located in the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku city and has the status of international organization.

Mission and objectives

Since 2010, TURKPA missions observe presidential and parliamentary elections and referendums in its member countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. The mission includes members of the parliament of TURKPA member states, as well as representatives of the TURKPA Secretariat. TURKPA observers' mission holds meetings with high-ranked officials of the Central Election Commission and government officials. TURKPA mission monitors voting process at all stages - visits polling stations, estimates the preparation process, has conversation with voters and representatives of the polling station, meets with the officials and representatives of political and public organizations.
The observers follow the objectivity, justness, transparency and impartiality principles confirmed in Code of Conduct for International Observers approved in 2005 by the United Nations Organization, recommendations of Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and other international legal instruments.Observation missions hold press conferences on the conclusions of the elections and referendums.

Main goals

•Assistance in development of political dialogue between the countries by means of parliamentary diplomacy as the qualitatively new stage of inter-parliamentary cooperation;
•Harmonization of the legislations and strengthening mutual activities with regard to other issues relating to the parliamentary cooperation on the basis of historical, cultural, and language unity.
•Assistance in development of solidity of mutually advantageous and equal cooperation between the turkic speaking nations and countries of other regions;
•Recommendation on approximation of legislations of the countries, including legislation on preservation and transfer to the future generations of cultural heritage and values of history, art, literature and other areas which are of importance for Turkic countries;
•Assistance in development of political, socio-economic, cultural, humanitarian, legal, and other relations among the parties;
The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking Countries selected as its primary goals the principles of independence; sovereignty; territorial and state boundaries integrity; legal equity; mutual respect grounded on the principle of non-interference in internal affairs of each other; strengthening of political and economic security of the countries on the grounds of refrainment from threat or use of force or economic or any other pressure; growth of national prosperity by means of full and rational use of natural resources; endeavour to the new progress in the sphere of parliamentary diplomacy, establishment of new relations and development of the existing ones with parliaments and other international organizations of the countries in the region and all over the world.

International cooperation

TURKPA is an observer at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and Asian Parliamentary Assembly.