Bill to approve memorandum on Azerbaijani-Turkish joint drills adopted
By Vugar Khalilov
Azerbaijan's parliament has adopted a bill to approve a memorandum of understanding on the Azerbaijani-Turkish special forces' joint drills, Trend reported on September 30.
The bill "On the approval of the memorandum of understanding on the exercises of the special forces of the Azerbaijani army and the Turkish armed forces between the government of Azerbaijan and the government of Turkey" was discussed and adopted at a plenary session of the parliament, the report added.
Addressing the plenary session, MPs stressed the importance of the memorandum, which contributes to the further development of military and technical cooperation between the two countries.
Signed on July 2, 2021, in Baku, the memorandum regulates the mutual visits of Azerbaijani and Turkish special forces to both countries during the drills.
Azerbaijan and Turkey periodically hold joint drills to improve interaction and communication between their army units.
Military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey first emerged in 1992, with an agreement signed between the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments on military education and weapon equipment and deals to help strengthen the bond between the two nations.
On June 15, the two countries signed a memorandum of alliance that cemented the existing military, political and economic cooperation.
The Shusha Declaration on Allied Relations that President Ilham Aliyev and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed during the first official visit to Shusha eight months after Azerbaijan’s victory in the war with Armenia, also focuses on defence cooperation.
It affirms joint efforts by the two armies in the face of foreign threats. The declaration also pledges joint efforts for the restructuring and modernization of the armed forces. Moreover, the two nations affirm to encourage the execution of joint projects with the aim of developing capabilities in the field of sea, air, and space.
In an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency on September 27, President Ilham Aliyev said that the signing of the Shusha Declaration raised bilateral relations to an even higher level.
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