Turkmenistan eyes deeper defense ties with Türkiye

By Merdan Velhanov

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (AA) - The chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan held talks Tuesday with the heads of Turkish defense firms Baykar and BMC on expanding cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow received Haluk Bayraktar, the general manager of Baykar, and Fuat Tosyali, the chairman of the board of directors of BMC, according to Turkmenistan's Golden Century television channel.

Noting that the meeting will contribute to deepening cooperation between the two countries, Berdimuhamedow said the strengthening of strategic and long-term relations with Türkiye is one of the main aspects of Turkmenistan's foreign policy strategy.

During the meeting, the possibility of further developing cooperation in the field of defense was discussed and the proposals of the Turkish companies, which are among the world’s leading defense firms, were evaluated.

Shipments of high-quality products produced by the Turkish companies to Turkmenistan will make an important contribution to strengthening relations, it was reported.

Bayraktar spoke to reporters following the meeting, noting they discussed a wide range of areas of mutual interest, especially opportunities for cooperation in defense.

Emphasizing that Türkiye has made great strides in the field of defense in recent years, he said: "We aim to bring our accumulated experience to the defense systems of Turkmenistan in this regard."

"We are very pleased to see our new and latest products here because our ancestral homeland Turkmenistan is not only one of the sister countries of the Republic of Türkiye but also one of its closest partners," he added.

Saying that Berdimuhamedow explained the orientation of Turkmenistan's foreign policy strategy and the tasks arising from the country's military doctrine, Bayraktar noted Turkmenistan's readiness to increase its defense capacity and mutual cooperation.

The Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) is included in the inventory of the armed forces of Turkmenistan.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul