When Is a Central Asian Leaders Summit Not a Summit?
The latest gathering of Central Asian leaders, plus Azerbaijan’s president, saw the signing of a declaration, but the “C5” have not quite become a “C6.”
At the end of July, five Central Asian leaders gathered with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Cholpon-Ata for a high-level meeting. This was the group's first meeting since November 2025, when Baku joined as a participant in the seventh Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia. The leaders discussed trade deals and the importance of interstate coordination.
However, this gathering wasn't a full-fledged leaders summit. It was an informal meeting, unlike the eighth Consultative Meeting scheduled for Turkmenistan. The distinction is puzzling because the Consultative Meeting format is flexible and avoids binding obligations. The summit was marked by the signing of the Cholpon-Ata Declaration, but it wasn't published, unlike previous meetings.
The leaders' presence in Cholpon-Ata was seen as evidence of progress in regional cooperation, but questions remain about Azerbaijan's commitment to the region.
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