In the opening ceremony, SaSaD Chairman Mr. Kudret Önen, GIFAS Chairman Mr. Marwan Lahoud, Head of DGA Mr. Laurent Collet-Billion, METU Teknokent Vice Rector Volkan Atalay and the Undersecretary for Defence Industries Mr. Murad Bayar gave opening remarks to the attendees.

Head of DGA Mr. Laurent Collet-Billion expressed his satisfaction at being in Turkey on the occasion of the first French-Turkish Industry Seminar jointly organised by the SSM and DGA with the support of Turkish and French industry and provided information to participants on the new period that has started between the two nations since last year. Collet-Billion said, “Our Presidents and our Defence Ministers decided to open a new phase in our relations during their last meetings. With this understanding of mutual benefits, we are in a constructive approach with the objective of a “win-win” situation.