Turkish foreign minister: Mecca Pact to establish NATO-style ministerial committee
Turkey’s foreign minister says the Mecca Pact will create a ministerial committee similar to NATO, aiming to strengthen collective defense among signatories.
Key Takeaways
AITurkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Mecca Pact does not target any party as long as it does not attack member states, noting that a ministerial committee will be formed under the pact, similar to NATO.
Fidan added, according to Al Arabiya, that a ministerial committee will be established as part of the agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, stressing that Turkey should participate in the Saudi-led maritime defense alliance.
The Turkish foreign minister emphasized that the agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan is equivalent to Article 5 of the NATO Charter.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan announced in a joint statement the signing of a mutual defense agreement to strengthen collective deterrence in the event of an attack on any of the three countries.
The statement added that the "Mecca Summit for Joint Defense" was held, during which the distinguished relations between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan were reviewed, along with a number of issues of common interest.
According to the statement, the agreement aims to bolster collective deterrence against any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all. The agreement also calls for strengthening all aspects of defense cooperation among the three nations.