Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday marked Qatar’s National Day and hailed the deep historical and cultural ties between the two countries, underlining the importance of defense cooperation.
"It is openly seen in several incidents how strong our relations are," Akar said at the country’s reception in the capital Ankara, which was attended by several high-level officials and ambassadors representing an array of countries.
"We are strengthening these ties every day through the works we are doing in both Qatar and Turkey," he added.
The defense minister further stressed that the bilateral relationship contributes to peace and stability within both countries and the greater region.
"Our military and defense industry cooperation, which we have been making since 2015, is continuing in a successful manner," Akar said.
He also noted that the two countries and their armed forces will carry out significant work in the coming period.
Akar underlined that the 15 recently signed agreements between Qatar and Turkey reflect brotherhood and strong cooperation.
Turkey and Qatar signed 15 different agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met in Doha earlier this month to co-chair the seventh meeting of the Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee.
Ankara and Doha enjoy strong relations, particularly since the 2017 blockade of the Gulf country by Saudi Arabia and others. The two countries have strengthened military and economic ties in recent years. The sixth meeting of the Turkey-Qatar Supreme Strategic Committee was held in 2020 in the Turkish capital Ankara. Ten agreements were signed between the two countries in the presence of the two leaders. Within the framework of the Supreme Strategic Committee meetings, a total of 68 agreements and protocols were signed between the two countries before.
Turkey and Qatar have also been cooperating on numerous regional issues, including the Libyan crisis and Afghanistan. In addition to bilateral trade and diplomatic relations, the two countries played a pivotal role in supporting the legitimate Libyan government and defending Tripoli against putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar's forces in a 14-month offensive. They also cooperated to reopen Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport after the Taliban took over following the government's fall and the withdrawal of the United States forces.