Turkey, Pakistan boost military ties

Turkey, Pakistan boost military ties

Security analysts and politicians say Turkey and Pakistan have strong military co-operation and many areas of mutual interest.

By Alakbar Raufoglu

2013-03-08

Turkey and Pakistan are expanding ties through joint military exercises and defence production, building on a long tradition of military co-operation.

Pakistani naval forces participate in a multinational counter-terrorism exercise, AMAN-13, around Manora Island, 30km from Karachi on the north Arabian Sea. Pakistan and Turkey are boosting their military co-operation, including counter-terror efforts. [REUTERS]

Pakistan’s defence minister, Syed Naveed Qamar, visited Ankara early this month to discuss with his Turkish counterparts the possibilities of local production, co-production, and transfer of technology for defence-related products according to the needs of the two countries.

Qamar referred to a recent agreement to build a fleet tanker for Pakistan’s navy by Turkish defence firm STM, describing it as “a best model for our future defence co-operation,” the Pakistani Embassy said in a statement.

Likewise, Ankara views a project to upgrade F-16 fighter jets of Pakistan undertaken by Turkish Aerospace Industries as a symbol of defence co-operation.

Turkey and Pakistan also decided to raise the level of the High Level Military Dialogue Group, an institutional mechanism that was created in 2002 between the two countries’ general staffs and has had eight meetings so far.

This week, the two countries began joint military exercises to contribute to defence co-operation and exchange of experience and information on military equipment, according to a statement by the Turkish general staff.

Five Turkish F-16s are participating in the Indus Viper-2013 exercise at the Mushaf Air Base in Punjab Province in Pakistan for the first time since 2008. The joint exercise runs from March 4-18.

A combined naval military exercise code-named AMAN-13 is also being hosted by Pakistan in the Arabian Sea, with the participation of Turkish frigate TCG Gokova (F-496), one underwater defence, an underwater assault team and two staff officers.

Defence co-operation goes hand in hand with anti-terror co-operation

In addressing the recent efforts, President Abdullah Gul, while meeting with Qamar last week, said, “the whole world recognises the sacrifices of the people and troops of Pakistan in fighting terrorism and extremism,” referring to the regional situation.

Celalettin Yavuz, a Middle East security analyst at the Ankara-based Centre for International Relations and Strategic Analysis, said that the Pakistani-Turkish defence relationship “is a special one marked by an immense reservoir of goodwill on both sides.”

“The thing is, our areas of interests are not crossing each other, even though there are some topics where the countries don’t follow the same policy. … But they have never been against each other,” he told SES Türkiye.

And Burhan Kayaturk, an AKP deputy and chairman of the Turkey-Pakistan Friendship Group in the Turkish parliament, highlighted the “strong co-operation potential” between the two countries’ defence systems.

Turkey, he added, “has never intended to implement hard power” in the region. Instead it is promoting leadership through “soft power” in diplomacy and the economy.

“However, we can’t stay calm when terrorists are targeting us, our people, our partners in the region. Pakistan and Turkey have more potential to work together and address the regional challenges,” he added.

via Turkey, Pakistan boost military ties – Central Asia Online.