Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Launch Mecca Defense Alliance

ISTANBUL: (Special Reporter) –  The first meeting of the committee formed under the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Türkiye joint defence agreement was held in Istanbul on Monday, bringing together the three countries’ foreign ministers, defence ministers and military leadership.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the trilateral initiative was aimed at promoting regional peace, security and stability.

Alliance Structure Discussed

Fidan said the participants discussed several measures to establish and strengthen the institutional structure of the alliance.

He expressed confidence that the decisions reached during the meeting would produce positive results and said work had begun on developing a formal framework for cooperation.

The Turkish foreign minister stressed that the alliance was based on international law and was not directed against any particular country.

He added that the three countries were working on a roadmap that could eventually allow additional countries to join the agreement.

Alliance To Be Called Mecca Defense Alliance

Fidan said the trilateral arrangement would be known as the “Mecca Defense Alliance” and announced that its first secretary general would be from Pakistan.

The meeting focused on establishing common responsibilities amid growing regional and international tensions, while participants also reviewed developments affecting global and regional security.

Focus On Defense Cooperation

The agenda included measures to strengthen coordination between the armed forces of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.

The three sides also discussed cooperation in joint defence production, research and development, as well as ways to expand collaboration within the defence industry.

Participants considered proposals to improve joint efforts against terrorism and enhance coordination among the three countries’ security institutions.

Collective Defense And Deterrence

The agreement seeks to promote security, peace, stability and prosperity while strengthening the collective defence capabilities and deterrence of the three member states.

Under the arrangement, an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all three, creating a framework for collective defence.

The Istanbul meeting marks a significant step toward building the alliance’s institutional structure and expanding defence and security cooperation among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.