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Tengrinews.kz – In diplomacy, gestures can be as significant as statements. One of the rarest and most telling gestures is a personal meeting at the airplane’s ramp. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan rarely resorts to this — which makes his attention all the more noteworthy. On July 28, he personally welcomed Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at Ankara Airport with a red carpet and an honor guard. Why this matters is explained in Tengrinews.kz’s report.
A gesture that speaks for itself
As a rule, the Turkish leader delegates welcoming foreign delegations to his ministers or protocol services. However, in some cases, he breaks this rule, doing so only when the visit has strategic or symbolic significance.
For instance, earlier in 2025, Erdogan personally greeted Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the ramp. This gesture was seen as a reflection of Turkey’s growing interest in expanding cooperation with Southeast Asia and ASEAN. Indonesia, the largest economy in the region, is viewed by Ankara as a key partner in the Islamic world and in new logistics, defense, and energy projects.
Prabowo Subianto and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Photo: tccb.gov.tr
In December 2024, Erdogan welcomed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the airport — despite him not being a head of state.
Blinken and Erdoğan at Ankara Airport. Photo: tccb.gov.tr
In September 2024, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi arrived in Ankara on an official visit for the first time in 12 years.
El‑Sisi and Erdoğan. Photo: tccb.gov.tr
He was personally greeted at the ramp by President Erdoğan — a symbolic moment in the long-awaited normalization of relations between the two countries. The personal reception signified the end of a diplomatic chill and a readiness to reset bilateral ties.
The meeting of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2022 also drew special media attention and wide public resonance in Turkey. During that visit, Erdogan personally saw the prince off at the airport.
Tokayev–Erdogan Relations
According to records of past meetings, the Presidents of Kazakhstan and Turkey enjoy excellent relations, which positively affect the dialogue between the two countries. In November 2024, Erdoğan emphasized that relations between Kazakhstan and Turkey had reached a strategic level.
A few years ago, media outlets actively discussed the leaders’ table tennis matches. In 2022, the presidents played two games — one in Ankara and another in Astana.
In 2023, Erdoğan gifted Tokayev an electric car, which was specially delivered to Kazakhstan’s capital. And in May of this year, photos surfaced online from behind the scenes of an informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States in Budapest.
Previously, prominent political analyst Arkady Dubnov noted that Turkey might seek Kazakhstan’s support on several issues.
On July 29, Tokayev and Erdoğan held talks. According to the Akorda press service, the leaders discussed strengthening the strategic partnership and signed key cooperation documents. Tokayev also highlighted Erdoğan’s role in mediating the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
