Azerbaijan, Turkey eye expanding military cooperation

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov and Turkish Deputy National Defence Minister Muhsin Dere have discussed expanding military cooperation between the two countries, the ministry reported on February 8.

Welcoming the Turkish delegation, Hasanov underlined the importance of the steadily growing military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the report added.

Hasanov emphasized that friendly ties between two countries' leaders have a positive impact on military cooperation and that Azerbaijan and Turkey's strategic alliance is based on friendly and fraternal ties.

Dere also emphasized the importance of meetings between senior officials from the two countries in terms of expanding mutual cooperation.

Furthermore, the top military officials exchanged views on exhibiting aviation equipment and participation of Azerbaijani servicemen in the Teknofest-2022 fair, which will be held in Baku.

The future of bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as the formation of joint working groups in the military-technical domain and other subjects of mutual concern were addressed during the meeting.

Azerbaijan and Turkey periodically hold joint drills to improve interaction and communication between their army units.

Military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey first emerged in 1992, with an agreement signed between the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments on military education and weapon equipment and deals to help strengthen the bond between the two nations.

On June 15, the two countries signed a memorandum of alliance that cemented the existing military, political and economic cooperation.

The Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations that President Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed during the first official visit to Shusha eight months after Azerbaijan’s victory in the war with Armenia, also focuses on defence cooperation.

It affirms joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats. The declaration also pledges joint efforts for the restructuring and modernization of the armed forces. Moreover, the two nations affirm to encourage the execution of joint projects with the aim of developing capabilities in the field of sea, air, and space.

In an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency on September 27, President Ilham Aliyev said that the signing of the Shusha Declaration raised bilateral relations to an even higher level.