ANKARA

Turkey's defense minister received Uzbekistan's chief of general staff in the Turkish capital Ankara on Wednesday.

Hulusi Akar met with Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov, who visited Turkey at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Gen. Yasar Guler, at the National Defense Ministry.

During the meeting, Akar emphasized the importance of increasing the existing relations in the fields of military education cooperation and defense industry, a ministry statement said.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Guler was also present in the meeting.