Erdogan eyes expansion of regional defence pact

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed optimism on Wednesday that more nations would join the defence pact signed earlier this week by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. The agreement, known as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, aims to stabilize the troubled Middle East region following the US-Iran war. While the initial signatories are the three mentioned countries, Erdogan emphasized that the pact's scope is not confined to them.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hinted at Egypt potentially joining the pact in the near future, stating that only a few technical issues stood in the way. Egypt has not publicly commented on Fidan's remarks or the agreement itself. Cairo has longstanding military ties with Turkey but has not indicated any intention to become a member of the new security alliance, which includes a NATO-style clause asserting that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

Erdogan attributed the formation of the pact to the evolving security landscape in the Middle East, where regional players are increasingly taking charge of their own security and stability. He viewed the agreement as a crucial first step towards achieving this objective. Rejecting the notion of solutions imposed from outside, Erdogan stressed that regional issues should be addressed by regional actors.

The pact, which consolidates three key US allies into an alternative security architecture, seeks to strengthen security cooperation and foster potential joint defense industry projects. Since the onset of the US-Iran war, Saudi Arabia's relationship with Turkey has improved significantly, with Erdogan expressing aspirations for even stronger ties between the two nations.