March 23, 2001 - 20:34 AMT
"TIME WILL SHOW WHETHER TURKEY WILL RENDER MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO AZERBAIJAN IN CASE WAR RESUMES", S. ABIYEV SAID
YEREVAN, March 23. /Mediamax/. Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan and the General headquarters of the Armed Forces of Turkey signed a protocol on development of military cooperation.
Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev, commenting to "Trend" agency upon the talks with the Turkish militaries, held during the recent visit of Heydar Aliyev to Ankara and Istanbul, said that "Turkey totally supports Azerbaijan".
Replying to the question, whether after the talks with the Turkish militaries one can assert that Turkey would render full-scale assistance and support to Azerbaijan if hostilities resumed, Abiyev said, "Time will show".
In his words, special working groups of the military departments of the two countries are preparing agreement project on military cooperation, to be signed during the upcoming visit of the chief of General headquarters of the Armed Forces of Turkey Hussein Kyvrykoghli to Baku.
S. Abiyev noted that Turkey and Azerbaijan have sufficient number of agreements in military sphere. At the same time new ones are needed, Abiyev said, refusing to specify the details. --0--