Within the frames of the Munich Security Conference, Georgian Defence Minister Levan Izoria held a bilateral meeting with the Commander of United States Army Europe Lieutenant-General Christopher Cavoli.

Levan Izoria discussed with Lieutenant-General Cavoli the transformation process of the Georgian Defense Forces and focused on the ongoing Georgian Defence Readiness Program. Minister Izoria also emphasized on the importance the Combat Training Center - another significant project of the US-Georgian cooperation. As Minister declared, further enhancement of the Combat Training Center and renewal of the relevant infrastructure is planned in Vaziani, Krtsanisi, Algeti and Norio, which alongside with the Georgian Defence Forces will be used by the military personnel of NATO member and partner countries for conducting readiness-oriented exercises.

The meeting also covered multinational trainings. As Levan Izoria noted, next month, Georgia will host NATO-Georgia Exercise for the second time, which is another demonstration of Georgia's enhanced capabilities and increasing trust from the allies towards Georgia. Sides also discussed multinational exercise Agile Spirit 2019 scheduled in Georgia for summer.

Speaking about cooperation with NATO, Levan Izoria focused on a new approach - Strategic Readiness, which aims developing resilient territorial defence forces in line with NATO standards.

“Georgia will continue contribution to global security along with strategic partners “– declared Minister of Defence of Georgia Levan Izoria during his visit to the Federal Republic of Germany. Minister of Defence of Georgia attended the pre-deployment training of the Georgian Unit in the Army Combat Training Center in Magdeburg and received positive evaluation about the level of preparedness of the Georgian contingent.

The Georgian delegation led by the Defence Minister Levan Izoria was hosted by the commander of the Training Center who made presentation of the facility and training stages of the Georgian unit. Company of the III Infantry Brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces started trainings with the help of the German instructors in Magdeburg Training Center in January. Training course included mechanized, platoon and company level exercises. The Georgian military unit is ready for the mission and will start the peacekeeping mission under the German command in Mazar-i-Sharif in the nearest future.

During three-day visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, Defence Minister of Georgia will meet his German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen. Meetings are scheduled with the Academic Director of the German Federal Academy for Security Policy (BAKS) in Berlin, Karl-Heinz Kamp and Under-Secretary for Foreign and Security Policy of the Chancellor of Germany Christoph Heusgen.

Fethullah Gulen, the exiled Muslim cleric whom President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused of plotting against him, has condemned the coup attempt and denied any role in it.
"I condemn, in the strongest terms, the attempted military coup in Turkey," he said in an emailed statement reported by The New York Times. "Government should be won through a process of free and fair elections, not force."
“I pray to God for Turkey, for Turkish citizens and for all those currently in Turkey that this situation is resolved peacefully and quickly,” he added. “As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations.”
source: BBC

The coup attempt is deeply damaging for President Erdogan who will struggle now to reassert his authority, Michael Stephens, Research Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Royal United Services Institute tells the BBC.
At one point during the attempt, Mr Erdogan's whereabouts were unknown, Mr Richards says, adding to the impression that he was not fully in control of his country.
From the West point's of view Turkey is a vital Nato partner and plays a key role in the struggle against so-called Islamic State militants - so any instability there is bound to give cause for serious concern.
The coup reflects deep frustration in Turkey over Mr Erdogan's apparent disdain for the constitution and his efforts to create an executive presidency, Mr Richards says.
source: BBC

CNN-Turk are now reporting that the army's top general and military chief of staff,  Hulusi Akar, has been rescued by security forces at an air base northwest of Ankara, the capital.
It had earlier been reported that he had been taken hostage during the coup attempt.
Turkey's police chief says 16 "coup plotters" have been killed in clashes at the "paramilitary headquarters" and a further 250 detained, the state-run Anadolu Agency reports.

The AFP news agency is reporting that 754 members of Turkish armed forces have been arrested for involvement in the coup, citing Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency.
It quoted a Turkish official saying that 29 colonels and five generals had been removed from their posts.
Rebel soldiers still control some military helicopters, but no fighter jets, a senior Turkish official has been quoted as saying.