Azerbaijan, Turkiye discuss military cooperation prospects

The Azerbaijan Defence Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, met with the delegation led by the Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, Army General Selçuk Bayraktaro?lu, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

Before the meeting, the Turkish delegation visited the graves of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, and prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva, in the Alley of Honour, as well as the Alley of Shehids (Martyrs) and Turkish Martyrs' Cemetery. The guests laid wreaths and flowers and honoured their blessed memory.

The Minister of Defence, Colonel General Z. Hasanov, received the Turkish delegation. The Defence Minister welcomed the guests and expressed his satisfaction with seeing them in Azerbaijan. The Minister noted that relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye are based on friendly and fraternal relations. He spoke about the positive results of the reforms held in the Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ilham Aliyev.

Army General S. Bayraktaro?lu expressed his gratitude for the hospitality shown. He emphasised that such meetings are important for the development of military cooperation between the two fraternal countries.
The meeting also discussed the development prospects of cooperation in the military, the military-technical field, and regional security issues.

Then the Turkish delegation met with the First Deputy Minister of Defence – Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev, and the Advisor to the Minister of Defence, Colonel General Bakhtiyar Ersay.
The meetings at the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army expressed satisfaction with the current state of Azerbaijani-Turkish military cooperation based on mutual trust and support.

During the official visit, the Turkish guests visited the headquarters of the Land Forces. A welcome ceremony was held at the headquarters of the Land Forces. The visitors passed along the guard of honour. The national anthems of Azerbaijan and Türkiye were played, and the Book of Honour was signed in accordance with the protocol.

The Deputy Minister of Defence – Commander of the Land Forces, Lieutenant General Hikmat Mirzayev, met with the Turkish delegation.

At the meeting, the importance of conducting joint military exercises for the purpose of increasing the professionalism of the servicemen from both fraternal countries, as well as exchanging mutual experience, was emphasised, and detailed views were exchanged on a range of other issues.