ANKARA, June 9 — Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin has arrived here today to begin his five-day working visit in Turkiye.

The minister, along with his delegation from the Defence Ministry, were greeted upon their arrival at Ankara Esenboga International Airport at around 10am local time by Malaysian Charge d’affaires in Ankara Clara Soon May Lynn and Turkish Officer-in-Attendance, Rear Admiral Nilufen Cotuk.

Mohamed Khaled’s visit, his first official visit to Turkiye since being appointed as defence minister, is aimed at strengthening defence cooperation between both countries and to attend the inaugural Malaysia-Turkiye High Level Committee on Defence Cooperation (HLC).

The HLC will involve delegations from the Malaysian Defence Ministry and the Ministry of National Defence Turkiye (MoND).

Mohamed Khaled is scheduled to hold a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Yasar Guler, as well as the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), an institution set up by the Turkish government to manage its defence industry and the supply of military technology, during his visit.

He will also visit Turkish defence companies, such as Turkish Aerospace Industries (Tusas), Aselsan and Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) and hold a meeting with Desan Shipyard.

In addition, the signing of a government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the procurement of defence products will be held, together with agreements of collaboration and partnerships between Malaysian and Turkish defence industry players. — Bernama