Pakistan says new defense pact with Saudi and Turkey is ‘purely defensive’ and open to others
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s foreign minister said Sunday a new defense agreement his country signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey was not directed against any country…
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar declared on Sunday that a new defense pact signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey is purely defensive and open to other nations in the region. The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement was inked on Friday by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The deal aims to bolster security cooperation amidst rising tensions between the US and Iran. Dar emphasized that the agreement is defensive in nature and any country can join if they agree to uphold its principles and resolve disputes peacefully. The pact stipulates that any armed attack against one of the states will be seen as an attack against all three, aligning with the right of collective self-defense under the UN Charter.
Dar reiterated Pakistan's commitment to work with regional countries for lasting peace and stability, clarifying that the Makkah Accord does not cancel or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements with other nations.
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