The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, and the Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces, General Hilmi Özkök, today signed a defence cooperation agreement between the two nations. Air Chief Marshal Houston said the agreement would strengthen the defence relationship between Australia and Turkey. “The agreement will give Australia and Turkey the flexibility to enhance cooperation in military and defence areas of mutual interest including ANZAC Day commemorations, defence materiel cooperation and educational exchanges.

“Australia and Turkey increasingly share global strategic interests that can benefit from closer defence cooperation,” he said. Turkey is an active member of NATO and is contributing to operations in its region, such as Afghanistan General Özkök is visiting Australia as a guest of Air Chief Marshal Houston and is attending a number of meetings in Canberra including with the Governor General and the Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson.