Riyadh, Oct. 5 (SANA) Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan are moving to institutionalize their three-way defense pact, with foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs meeting in Riyadh on Monday to discuss its operating framework and regional security challenges.
The second meeting of the Political, Strategic and Defense Committee established under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is expected to focus on practical steps to implement the pact, which the three countries signed in August.
The talks come as regional security developments, particularly Houthi militia attacks on Saudi Arabia, feature prominently on the three countries’ agenda.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said the meeting would discuss current developments and cooperation under the agreement. Ankara, meanwhile, reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia in confronting Houthi attacks and rejected provocative acts targeting holy sites.
Building the institutional framework
The meeting follows foundational decisions taken at the committee’s first session in Istanbul on Aug. 31.
According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will present Türkiye’s vision for the institutionalization process and its next steps, while a permanent secretariat for the framework is expected to be established in Riyadh soon.
The talks will also address threats to peace and stability in the Middle East, security and freedom of navigation along international trade routes, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
They follow consultations among the three countries, including a meeting of their foreign ministers in New York on Sept. 24 and talks among their chiefs of staff in Riyadh the following day.
Collective defense commitment
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in Mecca on Aug. 7. It stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three countries will be considered an attack against them all and calls for expanded defense cooperation and stronger collective deterrence.
The meeting also comes amid interest from other countries in joining the agreement.
Citing the Associated Press of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar said at a press briefing in Islamabad on Friday that more than six countries had expressed interest in joining.
Discussions on potential new members, however, remain tied to completing the agreement’s activation and institutional framework, a process that could take about a year.
N.J/MF
