Azerbaijani, Georgian, Turkish military agreement ‘on the agenda’

Speaking at a joint press conference alongside his Turkish and Georgian counterparts, İsmet Yılmaz and Tinatin Khidasheli respectively, Hasanov said a military cooperation agreement was being discussed. 

Works are ongoing about the draft of the agreement, Hasanov said, adding that this agreement would establish the legal infrastructure of cooperation between the three countries and help take that cooperation “to a new level.” 

The trio was in the Azerbaijani city Gabala for the fourth meeting of the Turkey-Azerbaijcan-Georgia defense ministers. 

Khidasheli expressed her belief that the trilateral military cooperation agreement would further contribute to 25 years of close relations between the three countries. 

“Turkey has lent great support to both us and Azerbaijan. Turkey has shown that it is a good neighbor and friend. For that I am thankful,” she said. 

For his part, Yılmaz said cooperation between the three countries on regional issues could set an example for other states.

“We have once again confirmed our will for bringing the cooperation between our countries to the utmost level in every aspect possible,” he said. 

“We support a peaceful solution of the [Nagorno] Karabakh, South Ossetia and Abkhazia conflicts by taking into account the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia and Azerbaijan,” Yılmaz added. 

Yılmaz said Turkey supported Georgia’s membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while also welcoming reforms in the country to this end.

The third leg of the trilateral meetings was held in Istanbul on Dec. 17, 2015.