Mecca Agreement: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan Agree to Establish a Regional Security Architecture
Al-Taj News – Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan agreed on Monday on practical steps to establish a regional security architecture within the framework of the “Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement,” during the first meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee established under the agreement in Istanbul.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the agreement would contribute to strengthening stability and prosperity and reducing uncertainty in the region, considering it a “historic step.”
Fidan added during a press conference following the meeting that “the process of testing a new architecture for security and cooperation in our region has begun with this agreement,” noting that its implementation would lead to greater stability and clearer positions among the region’s actors.
He explained that the meeting saw agreement on practical steps to establish a security architecture in the region, allowing for increased investment and development projects in a more stable environment with reduced uncertainty.
Fidan said the three countries are working on a roadmap for other countries to join the agreement, stressing that any expansion would be gradual and would come after consultations among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan regarding the terms, procedures, and criteria for accession.
He added that the goal of the agreement is expansion, but first it is necessary to “lay the foundations firmly and fully institutionalize it,” affirming that its expansion would be approved by the three countries and carried out through a gradual process.
The Turkish minister stressed the need for any potential ally to be part of a “well-established and effective” structure with good infrastructure, saying that the three countries are currently seeking to complete the establishment phase.
Istanbul hosted the first meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee on Monday, with the participation of the foreign and defense ministers and chiefs of staff of the armed forces of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan.
The meeting addressed international security issues, the development of defense capabilities, and enhancing operational integration among the armed forces of the three countries, in addition to deepening cooperation in defense industries, including joint production and research and development, and strengthening joint efforts to combat terrorism.
The meeting also defined the framework for the General Secretariat, which was agreed to be headquartered in Riyadh, and its related mechanisms for directing work in the areas of cooperation identified by the committee, in addition to discussing a roadmap for future steps.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan signed a mutual defense agreement in Mecca on August 7 aimed at strengthening the security of the three countries and joint deterrence. The agreement stipulates that any armed attack against one of them would be considered an attack against the other countries, in addition to expanding defense cooperation among them.
The agreement came amid the war in the Middle East and the changes it has imposed on regional alliances and influence, while the three countries affirmed that the agreement aims to support security, peace, and stability in the region and the world.
