Bulgaria, Turkey to Go for New Military-Industrial Agreement

Defense Ministers of Turkey Vecdi Gonul (left) and Bulgaria Anyu Angelov (middle) in Ankara, January 13, 2011. Photo by Defense Ministry

Bulgarian Defense Minister Angelov has declared in Ankara that Bulgaria and Turkey should come up with a new legal framework for military and industrial cooperation.

After talks with his Turkish counterpart Vecdi Gonul on Thursday, on Friday, Angelov met with Murat Bayar, Turkey's Deputy Minister of National Defense in charge of the military-industrial complex.

Bulgaria's Defense Minister declared that the 1992 agreement between the two countries for military and technical cooperation is not good enough any more, and expressed his expectations that a new agreement will be drafted to provide for practical results in military-industrial affairs.

Angelov and Bayar have outlined a number of opportunities for the development of the ties between the military-industrial complexes of Bulgaria and Turkey including the exchange of experience and ideas, exchange of military delegations for participation in defense industry fairs, joint long-term industrial projects, and intergovernmental coordination.

Gen. Anyu Angelov pointed out the capacities of the Bulgarian government defense industry holding TEREM. He assessed highly the development of the Turkish defense industry while visiting key Turkish military-industrial complex plants.

In particular, Angelov met with representatives of the Turkish state-owned defense industry giant ASELSAN, which specializes in electronics, optical networks, navigation and avionics equipment as well as command, control, and communication technologies for the Turkish army, navy and air force.

He also had talks with the management of the state company Turkish Aviation Industry (TIA), and visited a TIA factory.

On the second day of his official visit to Turkey, the Bulgarian Defense Minister was also received by Nevzat Pakdil, deputy chair of the Turkish Parliament.

"Our good neighborly relations are an example about how the ties between two allied neighbor countries should be developed within NATO," Angelov said as cited by the Bulgarian Defense Ministry.

Both officials expressed satisfaction with the political dialogue between Bulgaria and Turkey, and the cooperation in foreign missions and regional security organizations.

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