Turkey says Mecca defense pact could be widened to include Egypt
Several countries are interested in joining the trilateral security agreement that was signed in Mecca on Friday, Turkey's foreign minister said.
Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, has indicated that the mutual defense pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan could potentially expand to include other regional states such as Egypt. The trilateral security agreement, signed in Mecca on Friday, has garnered interest from several countries, with Fidan expressing belief that Egypt may join in the near future.
The expansion would bring one of the largest militaries in the Middle East, along with another Sunni Muslim-majority nation, into the alliance. While Egypt's Foreign Ministry has not yet commented, the potential inclusion of Egypt would significantly strengthen the alliance's military capabilities and regional reach. The pact, provisionally known as the 'Mecca Alliance' or 'Mecca Defense Alliance,' is intended to provide mutual defense against attacks on member states.
Pakistan's involvement highlights the alliance's scope as being broader than just the Middle East, according to Fidan, as it aligns with President Erdoğan's vision for the group to grow beyond the initial trio of countries. Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, emphasized that the agreement remains open to any regional country committed to its core principles and peaceful conflict resolution.
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