Turkish Forum

Tag: Ismet Yilmaz

  • US Secretary of Defense Panetta arrives in Turkey

    US Secretary of Defense Panetta arrives in Turkey

    Before arriving in Ankara for a two-day official visit, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta had a stopover in Baghdad to join the flag lowering ceremony of the American forces there.

    Panetta firstly met with Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz in Ankara yesterday. Reportedly, Panetta thanked Yilmaz for contributions made by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) to Afghanistan and discussed with his counterpart the issue of armed predators that Turkey plans to buy from the US. After paying a visit to Ataturk’s Mausoleum, Panetta will be received by President Abdullah Gul today. If his doctors allow him to do so, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also meet with him.

    Both Turkey and the US attach importance to Panetta’s visit in terms of finding an exact solution to three important issues which has been causing uneasy dialogues between Washington and Ankara throughout 2011, namely, the missile defense system, Turkey’s requests with regard to fighting the terrorist PKK which should be adopted by the US Congress, as well as relations between Turkey and Israel. As part of Panetta’s contacts, regional issues such as the Arab Spring, efforts exerted by Iran regarding the nuclear and developments in Syria will be discussed. Panetta will also inform Ankara on the impression he got from his visits to Afghanistan and Iraq.

    via US Secretary of Defense Panetta arrives in Turkey.

  • Turkey to improve its missile capabilities

    Turkey to improve its missile capabilities

    The country’s Supreme Military Council will discuss the purchase of long range missiles to improve its national missile defense capabilities next week. Final approval for the plan will be made by the Defense Industry Implementation Committee by the end of the month.

    MISSILEIran and Russia objected to Ankara’s decision to host an X-band radar system at a military base in Kurecik as part of a NATO-backed missile shield in the past. Iran threatened to hit NATO’s defense installations in Turkey if Iran is attacked by the United States or Israel. Russia also threatened to deploy missiles to target the missile defense system in Europe.

    Turkey will acquire 13 missile batteries and 72 missiles if the purchase is approved.

     

  • Turkey unveils $10bn military budget

    Turkey unveils $10bn military budget

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    Turkey’s Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz

    Turkey’s Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz has submitted the country’s 18.2-billion-lira (USD 10-billion) military budget for 2012 to the Turkish parliament, Press TV reports.

    Attending the parliament’s planning and budget commission on Friday, Yilmaz also announced ambitious defense projects including the production of national military aircraft.

    The minister noted that Turkey will begin producing a domestically-made helicopter within five years and its own fighter jets in 10 years.

    He added that the country has also launched a project to set up a home-made missile defense system.

    In October, Turkey announced that it will begin the mass production of its first domestically-made cruise missile, named SOM, in 2012, as part of Ankara’s plans to reduce defense reliance on foreign countries.

    Meanwhile, Turkey has boosted the budget of its National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in response to public anger over the death of two dozen Turkish soldiers in a recent battle with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist group.

    Turkey’s MIT and the security forces will receive an additional USD 6 billion from the defense industry support fund, provided by the government.

    DB/AS/AZ/HJL

    via PressTV – Turkey unveils $10bn military budget.

  • Ismet Yilmaz designated as Turkey’s new National Defense Minister

    Ismet Yilmaz designated as Turkey’s new National Defense Minister

    Ismet Yilmaz graduated from Machinery Department of Maritime Faculty of Istanbul Technical University in 1982 and Law Faculty of Istanbul University in 1987.

    ismet yilmaz sivasIsmet Yilmaz, a deputy from central Anatolian province of Sivas, has been designated as the new National Defense Minister of the 61st government of Turkey.

    Ismet Yilmaz, born in Sivas in 1961, graduated from Machinery Department of Maritime Faculty of Istanbul Technical University in 1982 and Law Faculty of Istanbul University in 1987.

    He completed a masters program in World Maritime University in Malmo, Sweden in 1990. He worked as engineer and chamber counselor in maritime sector.

    He was the Maritime Undersecretary between 2002 and 2007. Yilmaz is married with three children.

    Yilmaz replaced Vecdi Gonul.

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  • ATATURK MONUMENT OPENS IN KAZAKH CAPITAL

    ATATURK MONUMENT OPENS IN KAZAKH CAPITAL

    AstanaAtaturkThe Kazakh president opened Ataturk Monument in
    the Kazakh capital on Thursday. “Ataturk was the biggest leader brought up by the Turkish nation,” Kazakh
    President Nursultan Nazarbayev said during the inaugural ceremony in capital
    Astana.The Ataturk Monument was constructed on the bank of River Ishim (Esil) in
    Astana.Turkey’s State Minister Faruk Celik was to participate in the inauguration,
    however he cancelled his trip to Kazakhstan. Undersecretary Ismet Yilmaz of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism represented Turkey in the ceremony.

    08 -Oct-2009

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