The TURKPA in full, the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States, is an international organization comprising some of the Turkic countries. It was founded on 21 November 2008 in Istanbul. The General Secretariat is in Baku, Azerbaijan. The member countries are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey. Hungary and Northern Cyprus are observers.[2][3]
The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (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, Turkey. On September 29, 2009, the first plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (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.[2]
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.[2]
Commission on Legal Affairs and International Relations (merged in 2014)
Commission on Social, Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs
Commission on Economic Cooperation (renamed from "Economic, Trade and Financial Affairs")
Commission on Environment, Natural Resources and Health Protection (created in 2014 as Environment and Natural Resources)
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 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 states
Assistance in development of political, socio-economic, cultural, humanitarian, legal, and other relations among the parties
The Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States 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[2]
List of secretaries-general and chairmen of TURKPA
Secretary-General of TURK-PA is elected for four-year terms. Presidency is rotated in every plenary session alphabetically. Chairpersons of National Assemblies becomes ex officio chairman of TURKPA.[21]
1These are traditional areas of settlement; the Turkic group has been living in the listed country/region for centuries and should not be confused with modern diasporas. 2State with limited international recognition.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Baku, Azerbaijan 
