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II meeting of chairmen of defense and security committees of TURKPA member parliaments held in Baku -PHOTO-UPDATED

15 April 2025 13:53 (UTC +04:00)

The second meeting of the chairmen of the defense and security committees of the parliaments of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) member countries was held in Baku, APA reports.

The meeting focused on discussing "Strengthening cooperation in the field of security and defense among Turkic states: the role of parliaments."

The meeting agenda was adopted.

Hulusi Akar, Chairman of the National Defense Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, stated that national security can only be ensured with a strong army: "This was demonstrated to the world by Azerbaijan's victory in the Garabagh war. The Garabagh victory is not only an example for Azerbaijan and Türkiye, but for the entire Turkic world and the world as a whole."

Akar emphasized the significant role of Türkiye's defense industry achievements in its rise as a key actor in international relations today. He also expressed Türkiye's readiness for defense industry cooperation with Turkic states and called on Turkic countries to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Mehmet Süreyya Er, Secretary General of TURKPA, underlined the critical importance of cooperation in defense and security between Turkic states in addressing common threats, strategic interests, and regional security: "In this field, both the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and TURKPA, as the parliamentary dimension of Turkic cooperation, act as main platforms for institutionalizing this cooperation. I would like to once again emphasize the unique place of parliamentary cooperation in the steps taken for the security of our countries and our region as a whole. I sincerely believe that the continued meetings of the chairmen of the defense and security committees of parliaments will make significant contributions not only to cooperation within the framework of TURKPA but also to the security of our states and our region."

Yasemin Ozturk, Chairperson of the Committee on Law, Political Affairs and Foreign Relations of the Assembly of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between the Turkic world and Northern Cyprus: "The role played by TURKPA in strengthening cooperation between the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the Turkic world is undeniable. In this regard, I would like to emphasize the importance of the inter-parliamentary friendship group established between our countries and Azerbaijan. Our wish is to strengthen inter-parliamentary relations with all countries of the Turkic world. I believe that the discussions we will hold here today will contribute to this."

The discussions continued throughout the session.

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11:52

The second meeting of the chairmen of the defense and security committees of the parliaments of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) member countries is being held in Baku, APA reports.

The meeting is discussing “Strengthening cooperation in the field of security and defense among Turkic states: the role of parliaments.”