Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan hold first committee meeting under defence pact
Turkish, Saudi Arabian and Pakistani officials met in Istanbul on Monday for a first committee meeting under the joint defence accord they recently signed. The meeting was attended by the foreign and defence ministers, as well as senior army officials, from the three countries. The allies of the US signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7 to deepen military and defence co-operation.…
On Monday, officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan convened in Istanbul for their inaugural committee meeting under a recently signed joint defence pact. Attending the gathering were the foreign and defense ministers, along with high-ranking military officials from the three nations. The United States-backed agreement, the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, was inked on August 7 with the aim of intensifying military and defence collaboration among the signatories.
The pact stipulates that an armed assault on any member nation shall be treated as an attack on all, akin to NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause. Following the meeting, the countries announced their plans to establish political and military mechanisms to coordinate their defense and security policies in accordance with the agreement.
Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman expressed Saudi Arabia's commitment to advancing the pact's implementation during the Istanbul meeting, emphasizing its role in enhancing joint political and defense integration and bolstering security and stability. The agreement was signed amidst the ongoing Iran war in the Middle East, which has seen intermittent Iranian missile strikes on Gulf states, heightening security concerns among regional powers.
On Monday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) strongly condemned an Iranian attack on its territory, deeming it a "dangerous escalation" that posed a "direct threat" to the safety of citizens and residents. The incident followed Jordan's interception of eight missiles, after Iran claimed responsibility for an attack on U.S. bases in the kingdom as retaliation for American strikes overnight on Larak Island, located just off the Strait of Hormuz.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan indicated during the Istanbul meeting that a roadmap was being developed for other countries to potentially join the joint pact. Earlier this month, Egypt expressed the need to "carefully" consider legal and constitutional matters before deciding on its participation in the defense pact.
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