Afət Ziyadqızı
The 13th trilateral meeting of the defense ministers of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia was held in Shusha, Azerbaijan’s cultural capital. Speaking at the event, Turkish lawmaker and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said he was proud to be in the liberated city of Shusha and stressed that the countries’ shared history, geography, mutual trust and friendship had developed into a multifaceted strategic partnership.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that, addressing current military and political developments in the South Caucasus, Türkiye’s defense minister spoke positively about the ongoing peace negotiations between Baku and Yerevan.
He expressed confidence that lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia would open up entirely new opportunities for cooperation in the region.
Yaşar Güler also described ensuring the security of energy, transport and communications projects carried out within the trilateral framework as a joint responsibility. He noted that joint military exercises, education and the exchange of experience among the armed forces help guarantee this security.
“The security of the Caucasus cannot be considered separately from the security of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia. We reaffirm our unwavering support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan and Georgia,” Güler said.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Türkiye’s defense minister held separate talks with Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, and Georgia’s Defense Minister Irakli Chikovani, discussing regional security and military cooperation.
