Turkish parliament speaker expects Pakistan, Saudi Arabia defence pact to be submitted for approval next month

Turkish parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus has stated that a joint defence pact between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, known as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, has not yet been submitted to the Turkish parliament for approval. The speaker expects the agreement to be formally submitted when parliament returns from recess next month.

The three regional powers signed the pact in August, shortly before Iran-backed Houthis launched attacks against Saudi Arabia during the ongoing conflict in Yemen. The pact is similar to NATO's Article 5, stating that an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all. For international agreements to become effective, parliamentary approval is required.

The meetings held as part of the agreement are currently considered preparatory, according to Kurtulmus.

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