UPDATE - Turkish defense minister meets Azerbaijani counterpart, Ghana's army chief

UPDATES WITH JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE BY AKAR, HASANOV

By Sarp Ozer

ANKARA (AA) – Turkiye’s national defense minister on Tuesday met his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov and Ghana’s Chief of General Staff Vice Admiral Seth Amoama in the capital Ankara.

In the first meeting, Hulusi Akar met Amoama, who is in Turkiye at the invitation of Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Guler, Akar expressed the importance of continuing existing relations between Turkiye and Ghana in the fields of military training, cooperation, and the defense industry.

Akar later met Hasanov to discuss bilateral and regional defense and security issues, as well as cooperation in the defense industry.

Addressing a joint press conference with Hasanov, Akar emphasized the significance of the Shusha Declaration signed last June by the Turkish and Azerbaijani presidents, which gave bilateral ties between the two countries the status of an alliance.

He said the declaration “determines our future path and strategy,” adding that Turkiye and Azerbaijan are continuing efforts to enhance “defense cooperation and military training.”

“Turkiye and Azerbaijan, who are ‘one nation, two states,’ are doing their best to bring peace to the Caucasus,” said Akar.

“We want everyone to live in safety and prosperity by ensuring peace in the region as soon as possible.”

Hasanov said the Turkish Armed Forces were helping the Azerbaijani military implement important “structural reforms.”

“The Turkish Armed Forces have provided great support to Azerbaijan in this regard. We have made strides toward our objective,” he said.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz