Azernews.Az

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Turkey is not only a neighbor of Georgia, but also a strategic partner, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said in a meeting with Head of Turkish Armed Forces' Headquarters, Necdet Ozel in Tbilisi on October 23.

"We have repeatedly said and, most importantly, proven that Turkey is not only Georgia's neighbor, but also a friend of Georgia," Garibashvili noted.

The high-ranking officials discussed the expansion of partnership between the two countries, as well as cooperation in the field of military.

Garibashvili and Ozel also noted that joint command and field training exercises will be held under a trilateral Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan partnership format.

Garibashvili expressed hope that Turkey will be maximally involved in the implementation process of the measures package for Georgia's approximation with NATO.

Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania has earlier met with Necdet Ozel and mulled bilateral cooperation, particularly regional security in Tbilisi.

Talks on the military cooperation between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia were held in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on August 19. Defense Ministers Zakir Hasanov, Ismet Yilmaz and Irakli Alasania reached an agreement to hold joint military exercises in the future.

Now, the three countries eye to hold meetings twice a year, organize joint workshops and conferences, as well as create a trilateral format in military education and cooperation in the military-technical sphere.