Turkish, US defense chiefs hold talks in Washington

By Ali Murat Alhas

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s defense minister and his U.S. counterpart on Tuesday met in Washington to discuss recent political and military developments.

According to a statement by the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, Hulusi Akar and Patrick Shanahan discussed developments in Syria, bilateral relations, other regional security issues, and defense industry cooperation between both countries.

Akar "reiterated Turkey’s views and expectations on the proposed Safe Zone in Syria, S-400 procurement, F-35 aircraft and latest developments in the Eastern Mediterranean," according to the statement.

It said Akar underlined the importance of cooperation between Turkey and the U.S. on the basis of strategic partnership that would ensure stability and security of both countries.