Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov has met with a delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense of Türkiye Şuay Alpay, who is on a working visit to country.

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

Colonel General Hasanov welcomed the Turkish guests at the meeting held in the Ministry of Defense and expressed his satisfaction with seeing them in Azerbaijan. Noting that bilateral relations between the two countries are based on friendly and fraternal ties, the Defense Minister emphasized the importance of such meetings in terms of further expansion of military cooperation.

Colonel General Hasanov highlighted the operational situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian conditional border, as well as the reforms carried out in the Azerbaijan Army under the leadership of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev.

Alpay noted that he is also the son of Azerbaijan and thanked for the hospitality. Alpay conveyed greetings of Minister of National Defense of Türkiye Yasar Guler, and hailed the current state of successfully developing Azerbaijani-Turkish military cooperation based on mutual trust and support.

The sides discussed prospects for development in the field of regional military cooperation, security issues and other issues of mutual at the meeting, which was also attended by Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagci.

The Minister of Defense presented the “100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-2018)” jubilee medal to Şuay Alpay, who was awarded by the relevant Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Then the delegation led by Şuay Alpay met with First Deputy Minister of Defense – Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev and Adviser to the Minister of Defense, Colonel General Bakhtiyar Ersay.

Various models of Turkish-made aircraft were presented, and the sides exchanged gifts at the meetings.