Turkey Saudi Arabia Pakistan Defence Agreement: Istanbul to host first committee meeting of Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan defence alliance: Report
Top officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will gather in Istanbul on Monday for the first committee meeting under the joint defence accord the three countries signed earlier this month, a Turkish foreign ministry source told Reuters.Foreign and defence ministers, along with the chiefs of staff of the three countries, are expected to attend the meeting.The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed on August 7, brought together the three Sunni Muslim-majority US allies amid the Iran war and wider regional conflict, which has included Iranian missile fire targeting Gulf oil exporters.
International security, defence cooperation on agenda
“International security issues will be on the agenda,” the Turkish foreign ministry source said.The discussions are expected to cover efforts to enhance defence capabilities, improve interoperability among the three countries’ armed forces and deepen cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production and development, the source said.The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against acts of aggression.It stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack on all three, a principle similar to Nato’s Article 5 collective defence clause.
Pact signed amid regional conflict
The three countries share concerns over the military positions of Israel and Iran as the wider region remains affected by conflict.Six months after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran, negotiations remain at an impasse, while President Donald Trump’s administration has stepped up financial pressure on Tehran.The Mecca agreement was signed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.The pact seeks to strengthen defence cooperation and collective deterrence among the three countries, though it does not specify detailed operational or military commitments.
Alliance open to expansion
Turkey, which has Nato’s second-largest military, has said the agreement with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is open to expansion and does not seek to replace existing alliances.Egypt has been identified as a potential candidate.Bangladesh could also consider joining the pact, Reuters reported earlier, citing junior foreign minister Humayun Kabir.A Bangladesh foreign ministry source told Reuters that Saudi Arabia had invited Dhaka to join the agreement, though no timeline for the invitation was provided.Iran, meanwhile, has said it has not received an invitation to join the Mecca Pact, although proposals had been made for discussions with the three countries on regional security issues.
