Hulusi Akar

Alamy Photo

The top soldiers of Türkiye and Greece have agreed to develop ties based on good neighborhood and friendship, the Turkish defense ministry has announced, following a meeting in Brussels on the sidelines of the NATO ministerial meeting.

Turkey's newly-appointed Defense Minister Yasar Guler has vowed to protect his country's interests and the "Blue Homeland," a revisionist doctrine expressing Ankara's expansionist ambitions in the Aegean.

As the parliament prepares to commence its duty next week, the agenda is expected to include a limitation on house rent increases and a one-time tax-free right to purchase mobile phones and computers for young people, local media has reported.

Türkiye makes efforts for the nation's security and regional peace holding four-way talks with Syria, Russia and Iran, but Ankara will keep on maintaining the interests of Syrian citizens during this process, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on April 25.

A meeting between the defense ministers of Türkiye, Russia, Iran and Syria will take place in Moscow on April 25, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has announced.

The preparations for the meeting of the defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of Türkiye, Russia, Syria and Iran to be held in Moscow continue, Akar said in a statement on April 24.

The Supreme Election Board (YSK) has given a green light for the ministers to continue their political campaigning for the parliamentary elections while continuing their jobs.

The YSK'S decision came upon an appeal by the opposition parties who recalled that the ministers should resign from their jobs if they want to run for the parliament just like any other civil servant.

The PKK's April 16 attack in northern Syria, in which four Turkish soldiers were wounded, has been "retaliated," and a total of 10 terrorists have been neutralized, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said.

The treatment of the soldiers injured after the attack on the Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations' base areas is ongoing, Akar told the media on April 17.

A total of 37,732 terrorists have been neutralized since July 24, 2015, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said.

Turkey's defense minister told his US counterpart that Finland's new NATO membership showed its support for enlargement and that it hoped Sweden would fulfil commitments under its own bid as soon as possible, Ankara said on Thursday.

Straight from the playbook of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his Defense Minister Hulusi Akar engaged in new a round of accusations against Greece on Thursday, claiming it is "escalating provocative actions."

Once again he reiterated the Turkish claim that Greece "is violating treaties by militarizing its islands with demilitarized status," during a visit to eastern Turkey.