Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli stressed that Turkey and Qatar should act jointly to ward off external threats aimed at dividing the Middle East.
Visiting the Turkish military base in Doha yesterday, Canikli said that the two countries should work together to ward off external threats.
"We should work in coordination with the countries targeted to resist these projects," he said, stressing that "global forces" are trying to divide the region so as to render the states ungovernable.
"The maps and borders of countries are being reshaped, especially in the Middle East and the Gulf area," the minister said, drawing attention to threats against Turkey and Qatar.
He explained that countries which ignore their defense sectors have difficulty surviving in the long term.
"The painful experiences we have had countless times taught us that you cannot be a mere spectator of defense technologies. If it weren't for our efforts in the last 10 years, Turkey would have had great difficulty resisting the attacks today," he said, referring to the fact that Turkey is in an active fight against the PKK, Daesh and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
Meanwhile, Canikli explained that Turkey has advanced in the defense sector, saying, "Turkey has caught up with the world especially in the UAV [unmanned aerial vehicles] field."
Describing the relations between Turkey and Qatar as two brotherly countries with a strategic partnership, Canikli said, "Our ties in the field of defense will improve, and the new training facility is in accordance with our objectives," referring to the newly opened AW 139 Helicopter Simulation Flight Training Facility.
Turkey and Qatar's defense ties have strengthened in recent years, in line with the countries' political alliance. Turkey operates a military base in Qatar and Turkish troops are deployed to Tariq bin Ziyad military base within the context of an agreement signed in 2014.
The base serves as a tool to develop Qatar's defense ability, fight against terrorism and supports military operations aimed at protecting international peace. Turkey and Qatar jointly conducted a new military deal in August 2017.