Turkey's Defence Minister Fikri Isik answers a question during an interview with Reuters in Ankara, Turkey, August 5, 2016. REUTERS/Tumay Berkin

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey has signed an initial accord with French and Italian firms on the development of missile defense systems, state-run Anadolu news agency reported Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik as saying.

It cited Isik as saying at a French embassy reception on Friday that the deal encompassed the development and joint production of missile defense systems.

He said the deal was signed with the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium, which is owned by the multinational European missile maker MBDA and France’s Thales.