(Bloomberg) --
Turkey said it struck two accords with the United Arab Emirates during the first visit by a Turkish defense minister to the Gulf country in 15 years, as ties warm after a long rivalry.
Hulusi Akar met with his UAE counterpart Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
Turkey and the UAE's defense procurement agency, Tawazun, signed two memoranda of understanding during the visit, Ismail Demir, head of Turkey's Defense Industry Presidency, said on Twitter without elaborating. Turkey's Otokar Otomotiv has previously signed deals with Tawazun to sell armored vehicles to the UAE.
The UAE's WAM news agency reported the talks without mentioning details of any agreements.
A rapprochement between Turkey and the UAE is part of a broader realignment that's seen regional rivals heal rifts and step back from conflicts as the Biden administration reassesses its priorities in the Middle East. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the UAE in February and Saudi Arabia last month. Turkey is also seeking to mend ties with Israel.
“We expect important and positive developments in military training and defense industry in the coming period,” Akar said.
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