Interfax News Agency, Russia
May 4 2008

Azeri defense minister stresses importance of military relations with
Turkey

BAKU May 4

Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev has praised the successful
development of the Azeri-Turkish relations at the meeting with Turkish
Air Force Commander Aydogan Babaoglu, the Defense Ministry said in a
statement released in Baku.

While noting the presence of the successful military cooperation
between the two countries, Abiyev stressed the need to develop these
relations in the future.

The minister spoke of developing Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces and
modernizing the training and education process. The defense minister
emphasized Turkey’s important role in improving the national army. One
of the issues that unite Azerbaijan and Turkey is to free Azerbaijan’s
territories from the occupying Armenian Armed Forces, the minister
said.

For his part, Turkish Air Force Commander Babaoglu also praised the
high level of the relations between the two countries and said Turkey
is ready to support Azerbaijan.