Ankara
Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will establish political and military mechanisms to coordinate their activities under a joint defence agreement signed last week, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, strengthening security cooperation among the regional powers. The pact was agreed as the countries faced growing concerns over instability in the region and Iranian missile attacks targeting Gulf states.
The agreement states that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all members. The arrangement has been compared with NATO’s collective defence principle, although officials have described the pact as a framework for closer cooperation among the three countries.
Speaking at a weekly briefing in Ankara, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said the new coordination mechanisms would bring together the defence ministers, foreign ministers and military chiefs of Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The ministry said the three countries were also planning joint military exercises as part of the agreement. Such exercises are expected to strengthen coordination, improve operational cooperation and enhance the countries’ ability to respond collectively to security threats.
Defence industry cooperation will also form an important part of the partnership. According to the ministry, Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia could pursue joint defence production, technology sharing and other projects aimed at strengthening their domestic military capabilities.
The agreement brings together three predominantly Sunni Muslim countries that maintain close ties with the United States while also pursuing their own regional security interests. Turkey is a NATO member, while Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have longstanding strategic relationships with Washington.
The new mechanisms are expected to provide a regular platform for political consultations and military coordination among the three partners. Officials have not indicated whether the arrangement will develop into a formal military alliance comparable to NATO, but the agreement signals a significant expansion of defence cooperation between Ankara, Islamabad and Riyadh.
