Brazil and Turkey Express Interest in Intensifying Military Cooperation

AFP

09/05/2012

Brazil and Turkey agreed to cooperate in cybernetics development, among other fields. (Photo: Reuters)

On May 7, the Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim and his Turkish counterpart, Ismet Yilmaz, expressed both countries’ interest in “intensifying bilateral cooperation” in their area, chiefly through partnerships to develop a shared military-industrial base.

At a meeting held in São Paulo, the ministers signed a letter of intent formalizing both governments’ interest in “developing cooperation between their defense industries, including technology transfers and joint projects.”

“We have excellent possibilities for cooperation and for developing joint projects, and his visit is a demonstration of his country’s interest,” Amorim said in a statement.

Yilmaz, who began a week-long visit to Brazil on May 7, showed “special interest in the aerospace area, in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles, and in the cybernetics sector,” the statement specified.

“Cyber attacks often cause more damage than conventional attacks,” the Turkish minister stated.

In 2010, Turkey and Brazil drew up a joint plan to defuse the Iranian nuclear crisis, but the proposal was rejected by the United States, and the U.N. Security Council voted to impose sanctions on Tehran, which it suspects of carrying out a nuclear program with military aims.