Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan Unite Against Regional Aggression
Top officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan will meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss their joint defence pact.
The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed on August 7 by the three Sunni Muslim countries, which are concerned about regional conflict and Iranian missile fire on Gulf oil exporters.
The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three countries would be regarded as an attack on all, similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defence clause.
Foreign and defence ministers, along with the chiefs of staff, will attend the meeting in Istanbul. International security issues are expected to be discussed, including enhancing defence capabilities, greater interoperability among their armed forces, and deepening cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production and development.