Azerbaijan, Türkiye discuss expansion of military-technical cooperation PHOTO/VIDEO

First Deputy Defence Minister, Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, Col-Gen Karim Valiyev and his Turkish counterpart Army General Metin Gurak have discussed the expansion of military cooperation.

The discussion took place as part of Gurak’s official visit to Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry.

A solemn welcoming ceremony was held at the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, and the Chiefs of the General Staff of both countries passed along the guard of honour. The national anthems of Azerbaijan and Türkiye accompanied by the military orchestra were performed. In accordance with the protocol, Gurak signed the “Book of Honour”.

Then First Deputy Minister of Defence, Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev had a meeting with his Turkish counterpart.

Welcoming the guests, Valiyev congratulated Army General Gurak on his appointment to the post of Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces and expressed his satisfaction with seeing them in Azerbaijan.

Valiyev expressed condolences to his Turkish colleague regarding the glorious Turkish Army’s serviceman becoming a martyr in the region where “Pence-Kilit” (Claw-Lock) counter-terrorism operations were conducted.

The bilateral and multinational exercises conducted jointly with the fraternal country have a positive effect on raising the professional level of military personnel.

Gurak thanked for the cordial meeting, expressed his satisfaction with his first official visit to Azerbaijan as the Chief of General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces. He noted the importance of the joint events planned to be held in 2024 with Azerbaijani and Turkish servicemen.

The results of the work carried out to further expand cooperation in military, military-technical, military-educational, and other fields, as well as the importance of implementing these activities more intensively were discussed at the meeting. The parties exchanged detailed views on a number of other issues of mutual interest.

The Turkish delegation also visited the graves of National Leader of Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev and prominent ophthalmologist, academician Zarifa Aliyeva in the Alley of Honour, as well as the Alley of Martyrs and Turkish Martyrs' Cemetery.

The guests laid flowers and honoured their blessed memory.