ANKARA - Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul met his Australian counterpart Joel Fitzgibbon in Ankara on Monday. Fitzgibbon is currently in Turkey to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of Canakkale Battles.
Before the meeting, Gonul told reporters that 1915 Canakkale Battles were the beginning of foundation of Turkey and Australia.
Gonul said that nearly 150,000 Turks were living in Australia and they constitute a link between the two countries.
Gonul also said that Turkey and Australia cooperate in world's biggest defense project, which is Joint Strike Fighter.
He said that Turkey and Australia had signed a Defense Framework Agreement in 2007, adding that now the two countries were working on two new agreements.
The Battle of Gelibolu (Gallipoli), which is known as Canakkale Battles in Turkey, took place at Gelibolu peninsula in Turkey from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916, during the First World War. A joint British Empire and French operation was mounted to capture Istanbul, and secure a sea route to Russia. The attempt failed with heavy casualties. The struggle laid the grounds for the Turkish War of Independence and the foundation of Republic of Turkey eight years later under Ataturk, himself a commander at Gelibolu.
In Australia and New Zealand, the campaign was the first major battle undertaken by a joint military formation, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), and is often considered to mark the birth of national consciousness in both of these countries. Anzac Day (April 25th) remains the most significant commemoration of military casualties and veterans in Australia and New Zealand.
(GC-ULG)