Kamilov: Regional unity strengthens as Azerbaijan becomes permanent CA summit member

Speaking to media following the leaders’ summit in Tashkent, Kamilov said the outcome of the gathering signals a decisive shift toward deeper regional integration. Central Asian states, he noted, are moving from addressing bilateral issues to advancing a shared regional agenda across political, economic, humanitarian and other spheres.

“This summit represents a new stage,” Kamilov said. “Central Asian countries are transitioning from bilateral matters to a new agenda – regional integration. The second important step is that Azerbaijan has officially joined our summit and our format. As President Aliyev emphasized in his speech today, the connection between Central Asia and the South Caucasus is growing, and a new geopolitical and geoeconomic region has emerged.”

He described this development as “revolutionary” for regional cooperation, saying it creates an opportunity to strengthen stability, peace and security across both regions. If ties between the two blocs continue to deepen, Kamilov added, they will reinforce long-term regional resilience.

Kamilov also noted that the proposals voiced by Central Asian leaders during the summit were strikingly aligned.

“If you look closely, all presidents presented proposals that are very similar and raised issues with nearly identical agendas,” he said. “This shows that Central Asian states are uniting even further – acting as one force and speaking with one regional voice on the international stage.”

While analysts often point to differing views among Central Asian governments regarding integration, Kamilov stated that all five countries currently support deeper regional cooperation.

In his remarks, he also confirmed that Turkmenistan will host the next Consultative Summit of Central Asian Heads of State.