Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Sign Mecca Joint Defence Agreement
Turkey's defense ministry announced on Thursday that Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan will form political and military coordination mechanisms under the 'Mecca Joint Defence Agreement', signed on August 7. The agreement aims to boost joint exercises and defense industry cooperation between the three countries.
The pact's fundamental goal is to ensure defense and military ties are put on a more institutional and sustainable footing, according to the Turkish defense ministry. It also involves coordination at the highest level among senior ministers, foreign ministers, chiefs of general staff, and armed forces commanders.
Joint military exercises involving land, naval, and air forces will be conducted, as well as deeper defense industry cooperation, including joint development and production of unmanned systems, electronic warfare capabilities, and artificial intelligence. The agreement stipulates that an attack on any member would be regarded as an attack on all, similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause.
The pact is described as defensive in nature and does not identify any country as a common enemy or adversary. It was signed by the three Sunni Muslim U.S. allies 'alarmed by a regional conflagration that has brought Iranian missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters.'