“Foreign powers interested in the region now must reckon not with a single state but with an alliance of states. Despite some differences, solidarity and joint action among Turkic states are strengthening, which is causing unease for certain external forces. Circles with an imperial legacy still try to govern independent states in the region using a ‘divide and rule’ logic. In response, we must further strengthen our cooperation and solidarity within the OTS and prevent external powers from achieving their goals,” he said. The Organization of Turkic States (OTS), previously known as the Turkic Council or the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, is an intergovernmental entity that includes all but one of the internationally recognized Turkic sovereign nations.