Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan form joint defence pact
The three governments will create political and military mechanisms, including a collective-defence clause modelled on NATO Article 5.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have agreed to establish joint political and military mechanisms stemming from a defence pact signed last week, the Turkish Ministry of Defense said today.
The three countries signed the "Joint Defence Agreement of Mecca" on 7 August. The pact is described by officials as an alliance of Sunni partners of the United States, formed amid concerns about the spread of regional conflicts — in particular following Iranian missile attacks on oil shipments in the Persian Gulf.
Key elements of the pact
The agreement includes a collective-defence clause modelled on NATO's Article 5, under which an armed attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. According to the Turkish ministry, the new mechanisms will deepen defence-industry cooperation as well as operational ties.
At a weekly press briefing in Ankara, the ministry said the mechanisms will bring together the defence ministers, foreign ministers and military commanders of the three states. The pact foresees joint military exercises and contemplates joint production and the exchange of technologies within the defence sector.
Analysts say the arrangement could reshape security dynamics in the wider Middle East by consolidating cooperation among those states, while also raising tensions with regional rivals. Governments involved have signalled that precise operational details and timelines will be worked out in the coming months.
Photo: EPA/SOHAIL SHAHZAD
