Dear Readers,

This 19th issue of our journal contains 6 articles and 1 book review.

Authored by Dr. Nizomiddin Ziyamov, the article titled “The Organization of Turkic States: From Shared Identity to Practical Cooperation” discusses the growing institutional structure of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and the initiatives Uzbekistan has undertaken to advance OTS’ development since joining the organization, and emphasizes that OTS now needs to further deepen its structure rather than increase its membership count.

Authored by Ambassador (R) Hasan Aşan, the article titled “Balkanlarda Kırılgan Barış” (“Fragile Peace in the Balkans”) examines the 1995 Dayton Agreement that established the political order in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the delicate power balances created by this political framework, Türkiye’s role in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and how the Dayton system might be made to function in a more healthy manner by taking regional factors into account.

Authored by Dr. Teoman Ertuğrul Tulun, the article titled “Demographic Trends and the Turkish Minority in Bulgaria” narrates the origins of Bulgaria’s Turkish minority in light of historical and political factors and discusses
the social position of this minority within the context of the demographic challenges currently faced by Bulgaria. Dr. Tulun notes that the most effective results will be achieved by considering Bulgaria’s state sovereignty and the social participation of the Turkish minority together.

Authored by Özge Emine Özçelik, the article titled “4 Ekim 2026 Seçimleri Sonrası Bosna-Hersek’te Görünüm” (“The Outlook in Bosnia and Herzegovina Following the 4 October 2026 Elections”) addresses the Dayton Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina in similar fashion to Ambassador (R) Aşan’s article, but it also separately discusses what the 4 October 2026 elections mean for the country’s politics and what consequences they might have in the future.

In her study, Dr. İlaha Khantamirova reviews the book titled Children of a Shared Culture: Iraqi Turkmens and Azerbaijan. Dr. Khantamirova notes that the book is an important study that examines the history, culture, and social structure of the Iraqi Turkmens through a multifaceted approach, while also highlighting the historical and cultural ties they share with Azerbaijan.

Authored by Eray Yüksektepeli, the article titled “Sırbistan’ın Çok Yönlü Dış Politikası: AB Entegrasyonu ve Rusya ile İlişkiler Arasında Denge Arayışı” (“Serbia’s Multidimensional Foreign Policy: Seeking a Balance Between EU Integration and Relations with Russia”) examines Serbia’s position within the framework of various regional actors in the Balkans. In his article, Yüksektepeli emphasizes the view prevalent in Serbia that the country could serve as a bridge between the Eastern and Western worlds and that the country strives to carefully manage its relations with both the European Union and Russia.

And finally, authored by Buğra Yalçın, the article titled “Autonomous Weapons and Military Artificial Intelligence Under International Law” indicates that AI-powered weapon systems are developing rapidly and that
states are striving to take the lead in using such systems to keep pace with modern warfare conditions, and issues the warning that international legal regulations are lagging behind these developments.

Have a nice reading,

Mehmet Oğuzhan Tulun
Editor

The Organization of Turkic States: From Shared Identity to Practical Cooperation - Dr. Nizomiddin Ziyamov

Balkanlarda Kırılgan Barış - (E) Büyükelçi Hasan Aşan

Demographic Trends and the Turkish Minority in Bulgaria - Dr. Teoman Ertuğrul Tulun

4 Ekim 2026 Seçimleri Sonrası Bosna-Hersek'te Görünüm - Özge Emine Özçelik

Ortak Kültürün Evlatları: Irak Türkmenleri ve Azerbaycan (Ortaq Mədəniyyətin Övladları İraq Türkmanları ve Azerbaycan) Başlıklı Araştırma Üzerine Değerlendirme - Dr. İlaha Khantamirova

Sırbistan'ın Çok Yönlü Dış Politikası: AB Entegrasyonu ve Rusya ile İlişkiler Arasında Denge Arayışı - Eray Yüksektepeli

Autonomous Weapons and Military Artificial Intelligence Under International Law - Buğra Yalçın

Dr. Nizomiddin Ziyamov (Chief Research Fellow, International Institute for Central Asia (IICA))

(R) Ambassador Hasan Aşan

Dr. Teoman Ertuğrul Tulun (Analyst, Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM))

Özge Emine Özçelik (Scholar in Residence, Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM))

Dr. İlaha Khantamirova (Scholar in Residence, Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM))

Eray Yüksektepeli (Undergraduate Student, International Relations, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University / AVİM Trainee Program Participant)

Buğra Yalçın (Undergraduate Student, Political Science and International Relations, Abdullah Gül University / AVİM Trainee Program Participant)