Azeri defence minister ends visit to Turkey without military cooperation deal

ANS Radio, Baku
7 Oct 04

[Presenter] The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict was focused on during
Azerbaijani Defence Minister Safar Abiyev’s meetings in Turkey. The
head of the Defence Ministry press service, Ramiz Malikov, has told
ANS that the meetings also touched upon the current level of military
cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey. [ANS correspondent] Zanura
Talibova has more details.

[Correspondent] The delegation led by Defence Minister Safar Abiyev
which has been on an official visit to Turkey since 4 October returned
home last night. The head of the Defence Ministry press service,
Ramiz Malikov, spoke about the meetings held in Turkey and said that
Abiyev had first met Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. They
focused on military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey during
the meeting. The Nagornyy Karabakh problem topped the agenda of the
meeting.

[Ramiz Malikov] Mr Ahmet Necdet Sezer again supported the just cause
of our people and country in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. He
also wished a peaceful solution to this conflict and the maintenance
of peace in the South Caucasus region, in general.

[Passage omitted: details already reported]

[Correspondent] Ramiz Malikov said that no document on military
cooperation had been signed during the visit.

[Malikov] Our minister visited the military school of
languages. [Passage omitted: details of school visit] Then the
minister visited the missile industry joint-stock company in
Ankara. He familiarized himself with the work of the company and its
workshops.

[Correspondent] The spokesman for the Defence Ministry did not rule
out the purchase of missiles from the missile industry joint-stock
company in Ankara at some point in the future. To recap, this was the
fourth official visit to Turkey by the Azerbaijani defence minister.