ANKARA - Spanish Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Antonio Moreno Barbera on Wednesday visited National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul.
Stating that relations between Turkey and Spain were always good, Gonul said that good relations were better than expected.
Gonul said that Spain extended great support to Turkey during its EU membership process and stated that friendship between prime ministers and defense ministers of the two countries would contribute to development of relations.
Gonul said that there was also good cooperation in military field and stated that the two countries were carrying out together production of CASA type planes.
Admiral Barbera said that he came to Turkey for the first time and stated that relations between the two countries were developed.
Stating that a successful cooperation was made in Afghanistan, Barbera said that a similar success could also be achieved in Iraq.
When a reporter said that messages on dispatch of soldiers to Iraq coming from the United States started to be negative, Gonul said that relations of states changed time to time and day by day and stated that what was important was the government's taking decisions which would be beneficial to Turkey. Gonul said that the government would take necessary decisions according to developments there.
Upon another question on negotiation process, he said that Defense Ministry did not carry out those meetings and added that talks continued in the Foreign Ministry.
(EÖ-AY) 22.10.2003