Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has expressed Ankara’s satisfaction with deepening regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, commending the steady normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Güler attended the 13th trilateral defense ministers’ meeting of Türkiye, Georgia and Azerbaijan on Oct. 2 along with his counterparts Irakli Chikovani and Zakir Hasanov in the Shusha province of Azerbaijan.
In an address during the meeting, Güler emphasized that the security of the Caucasus cannot be considered separate from the security of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The ties between the three countries have turned into a multidimensional strategic cooperation, Güler said, recalling that the South Caucasus is passing through an important transformation.
He commended the progress Armenia and Azerbaijan have made in the establishment of peace and stability in the region.
“We believe this new era will foster new opportunities for cooperation in the South Caucasus through the collective efforts of regional states. In this regard, the trilateral partnership between Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Georgia holds special importance,” he said.
The minister cited the importance of trilateral cooperation on energy, transportation and communication for ensuring regional security and stability and underlined that securing all of these projects is a shared responsibility of Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
“I want to reiterate our strong support to the territorial integrity and independence of Georgia and Azerbaijan. We are ready to advance the existing trust and solidarity among our three countries to even higher levels in the period ahead, serving the peace, security, stability, and prosperity of the Caucasus,” he added.
