Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, received the Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, Army General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, and the delegation accompanying him on a working visit to Azerbaijan.
The Turkish guests first visited the Alley of Honor, laying wreaths and flowers at the graves of National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the prominent ophthalmologist and academician Zarifa Aliyeva, and honored the memory of the martyrs.
The Chiefs of General Staff of the two brotherly countries then laid wreaths at the monument to the Turkish martyrs, paying tribute to the fighters of the Caucasian Islamic Army who died for the liberation of Baku.
At the official ceremony at the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, the Chiefs of General Staff reviewed the honor guard. The national anthems of Azerbaijan and Türkiye were played, and the guest signed the “Book of Honor” in accordance with protocol.
During the meeting at the Ministry of Defense, Colonel General Hasanov welcomed the guests, expressing his pleasure at seeing them in Azerbaijan. He emphasized that relations between Azerbaijan and Türkiye, based on deep historical roots, common values, and mutual trust, continue to develop thanks to the friendship between the heads of state. The Minister highly valued Türkiye’s constant support and noted the historical significance of September 15 — the day of Baku’s liberation from Armenian-Bolshevik occupation.
Colonel General Hasanov congratulated Army General Bayraktaroğlu on his appointment as Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces.
In turn, Bayraktaroğlu thanked for the warm welcome and hospitality, noting that such visits and meetings contribute to the development of relations built on mutual trust and friendship.
As part of the visit, a meeting was also held between the Chiefs of General Staff of the two countries. Colonel General Karim Valiyev spoke about innovations being introduced in the Azerbaijani Army and stressed that all opportunities exist for the further development of military-technical cooperation between the countries.
The sides discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation in military, military-technical, educational, and other areas, as well as regional security issues and other matters of mutual interest.
