Embassy of Turkey held a reception last week to celebrate the 101st anniversary of the country’s Victory Day, which marks the victory of Turkish troops over occupying Greek forces in 1922.
Speaking on the occasion, head of Kuwait’s National Military Service, Brigadier General Muhammad Al-Jassar, said Kuwait and Turkey have many commonalities. They seek peace, adhere to the same defense principles, and adopt a policy of cooperation to achieve security and stability in the world.
He added that defense cooperation between the two countries continues to grow in several sectors, and pointed to the continuous meetings between defense officials of the two countries to explore prospects for cooperation and exchange ideas, visions and viewpoints.
He explained that one of the fruits of this cooperation is strengthening the defense capabilities of the Kuwaiti army with the Turkish-made Bayraktar drone, which “proved its reliability and effectiveness in the operations sector.”
In her address at the celebration, Turkish Ambassador H.E. Tuba Sönmez, revealed that the 18 Bayraktar drones that Kuwait has purchased are ready for delivery whenever Kuwait wants. She also expressed her country’s readiness to provide Kuwait with all the military equipment it requests.
Elaborating on the level of military and security cooperation between the two countries, Ambassador Sönmez said there were other areas of cooperation after Turkey recently increased its capabilities in the military industry in terms of local production. Regarding the possibility of establishing a Turkish military base in Kuwait, she said, “We are ready if Kuwait or any other country requests that.”
She said that Kuwait is considered the second country in terms of the number of tourists to Turkey compared to the number of its population, as the number of Kuwaiti tourists to Turkey last year reached half a million and this number is expected to exceed this year, based on the data and numbers that will be made available at the year end.
In a message to Kuwaitis, the ambassador said, “Turkey opens its doors to all Kuwaiti investors in various fields of financial investments, defense and food industries, livestock, the technological sector and artificial intelligence, and the embassy is fully prepared to provide all facilities to Kuwaiti investors and businessmen.
Expressing her pride at the 101st Victory Day, the ambassador explained, “We celebrate the 101st anniversary of the legendary victory that laid the foundation for a strong, independent Turkey as we are now. There is no doubt that 30 August is one of the most important pivots in our history, when the invading forces were subjected to a heavy defeat at the hands of the Turkish nation, in the Battle of Dumlupinar in 1922.”
She went on to say, “It is a great honor to see, 101 years later, that this spirit and belief remain intact and continue to strengthen our resolve in the face of the new challenges facing us. In the face of today’s complex and new geopolitical threats, the Turkish Army remains the bastion of defense and guardian of our nation.”
The Turkish Ambassador stressed three important things, saying: “First, over the course of 101 years, the Turkish army has come a long way in the field of reforms, planning, intensive training, investment in technology and institutional modernization. “As a result, today we have one of the finest and strongest armies in the world, and secondly, over the past two decades, and under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has been a success story in the field of defense industries.
“Through domestically produced military hardware and software, we have developed a great deal of self-sufficiency, as Turkish-made military equipment now constitutes more than 75 percent of our stock, not only that, but we have also emerged as a reliable provider of defense equipment to our global partners,” noting that “in 2022, Turkish arms exports reached a record high of $4.4 billion.”
She continued: “Thirdly, thanks to its growing foreign base and advanced capabilities, The Turkish Armed Forces have developed regional operational capabilities.” She added, “We believe that establishing peace, security and stability in our region is essential for the comprehensive well-being of our countries and I am pleased to note that when it comes to issues related to regional security, Turkey and Kuwait share a very similar vision. Both countries praise mediation, dialogue, peaceful settlements of conflicts and good friendly relations with neighbors while striving to improve defense capabilities.”
She explained, “Relations between Turkey and Kuwait have reached an ideal level, and continue to grow stronger under the guidance of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and His Highness the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad. We are pleased that the fraternal relations between our two countries are being strengthened through more cooperation in the field of defense industries.”