Almaty, (TDI): Kazakhstan and Turkiye have formalized an agreement on the transit of military equipment and personnel through the airspace of both nations, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties.
The accord, outlines a framework for utilizing air corridors for military transit.
This process will be overseen by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Defense, which will regulate and authorize the transit, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will issue annual and one-time diplomatic clearances.
On the Turkish side, the Ministry of National Defense will be responsible for authorizations.
Under the agreement, both countries are required to submit formal requests for annual transit permits via diplomatic channels by December 1 of each year.
These permits will cover transit operations from January 1 to December 31 of the following year.
The agreement facilitates the movement of official delegations, military personnel and equipment, as well as humanitarian aid and diplomatic cargo.
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The decree, which came into immediate effect upon signing, marks an important development in Kazakhstan-Turkiye relations.
The agreement was initially published for public consultation on Kazakhstan’s “Open NPA” portal on August 13 and remained under discussion until August 27.
Increasing Diplomatic Engagement
This agreement comes in the wake of increasing diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attended the inauguration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara in June 2023.
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Erdogan reciprocated with a visit to Astana in November of the same year, followed by his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan in July 2024.
The air transit agreement is seen as a key development in bolstering military and diplomatic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Turkey.
