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Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian defense ministers discuss joint exercises
Azerbaijani Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, and Turkish National Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz met to discuss their countries' defense cooperation, SIA reports.
In the meeting the top-ranking officials agreed on holding joint exercises to protect strategic energy and transport infrastructure in the region. Ensuring the security of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which carries 1m barrels per day, is a top priority for all three nations.
The officials emphasized that intensifying the trilateral cooperation will ensure security of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkish defense partnership is economically critical for the region and global companies. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is a major source of revenue for the countries it passes through, as well as major corporations like BP. Furthermore, the pipeline helps guarantee energy security for the West, by providing an alternative to Russian and Middle Eastern oil.