By Merve Aydogan
ANKARA (AA) – On a visit to Azerbaijan's capital Baku on Monday, Türkiye's defense minister was received by the country's president, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry.
Hulusi Akar, accompanied by top commanders including Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler and the Turkish Land Forces, Naval Forces, and Air Force commanders, was received by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, said the ministry.
In his remarks, Akar stressed the importance of high-level ties and mutual visits between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, vowing to continue his country's support for Azerbaijan's "righteous cause."
Stressing that Armenia must understand and do what is necessary in response to the peace offering from both Türkiye and Azerbaijan, Akar said: "Everyone, especially Armenia, should see that this is important for the region as well as for the Caucasus to turn into a region of peace and stability."
For his part, Aliyev told Akar and his delegation that 2022 was very successful in terms of the development of friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries, adding that relations in all fields, including the military, were strengthened.
Noting the importance of the latest joint military exercise between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, Aliyev pledged that the two countries will always stand side-by-side.
On Monday, the Turkish and Azerbaijani militaries, in accordance with an agreement on military cooperation, began a joint military exercise.
“The exercises involving the military personnel of various types of troops, combat and special engineer-sapper equipment, as well as military aviation vehicles of the Azerbaijan Army and the Turkish Armed Forces, are being held in Baku, as well as the territories of the Astara, Jabrayil and Imishli regions,” said an Azerbaijani Defense Ministry statement.