GEN. OZKOK MEETS AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTER ABIYEV

Turkish Press
Oct 6 2005

BAKU – “Turkey has always supported Azerbaijan since it acquired
its independence,” said Defense Minister Safar Abiyev of Azerbaijan
on Thursday.

Turkish General Staff Chief Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, who is currently in
Baku on an official visit, met Abiyev.

Speaking at the meeting, Abiyev said, “there has been close cooperation
between Turkish and Azerbaijani armed forces. Azerbaijan needs a
powerful army in order to further strengthen its independence. We
rely on Turkey’s support to establish a sound army, develop defense
industry, and improve our relations with NATO.”

Abiyev said that Azerbaijani armed forces gained experience by
participating in joint military exercises aiming to protect the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural
gas pipeline.

“Despite all efforts, security problem has still been continuing in
the region. Armenia has occupied nearly 20 percent of Azerbaijani
territories. More than 1 million Azerbaijani people have been living
under extremely difficult conditions in refugee camps,” he said.

Abiyev added that terrorist groups and drug traffickers had been
using the occupied regions as their base due to lack of control.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress