Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, three of the leading powers in the Middle East and South Asia, have signed a historic trilateral pact on mutual defence, stipulating that any armed attack against one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all of them, against a backdrop of growing geopolitical uncertainty regarding security.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif signed the trilateral defence agreement between the three states on Friday 7 August in the Saudi city of Mecca.
The Communications Office of the Turkish Presidency issued a joint statement on the signed agreement via its social media channels, according to the Anatolia news agency. The statement noted that Erdoğan and Sharif visited Saudi Arabia, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received both leaders at Safa Palace in Mecca for official talks.
“The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman; the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan; and the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, have signed a Joint Defence Agreement which reflects their shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security, promoting peace, security and stability in the region and beyond, and to build together a secure and prosperous future, based on deep historical relations, strong bonds of brotherhood and Islamic solidarity, common strategic interests and long-standing cooperation on defence matters between the three states”, stated the official text issued from Ankara.
“The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against all forms of aggression and stipulates that any armed attack against any of the three states will be considered an attack against all of them. The agreement also provides for the development of defence cooperation between the three states in all areas”, the statement concluded.
The Mecca Agreement seeks to bolster regional security in the face of new threats
According to information obtained from the Turkish authorities, the so-called Mecca Agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that any armed attack against any of the three states will be considered a joint attack against all of them. The pact is seen as the tangible result of a prolonged diplomatic effort driven by the principle of regional ownership to create a common foundation in the face of growing regional and international security threats.
Authorities in Ankara consider the agreement to be “a factor supporting peace, tranquillity and security in the region”, and state that “Turkey’s membership of NATO and other regional organisations are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary structures that enable the burden of security to be shared”. “This agreement does not constitute an aggressive military front, an attempt to encircle anyone, or an offensive plan, but rather a step that will contribute to the objective of a Terrorism-Free Zone designed to ensure regional stability,” the same sources added.
They also emphasised that the Mecca Agreement is not directed against any country and does not close existing channels of dialogue; furthermore, they insist that it reaffirms the commitment to collective defence, self-defence and mutual security in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, regarding an armed attack against one of the parties as an attack against all.
The agreement will prevent Turkey from being dragged into a war
In addition to the mutual commitment to defence support between the three signatory states, the agreement also provides for increased cooperation in the defence industry and improved interoperability between their forces.
Turkish authorities have described the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as a historic event for the region and the Islamic world, and believe that “the region’s security architecture has been reshaped by the Mecca Agreement”, whilst noting that it will also prevent Turkey from being dragged into new conflicts and wars.
“Turkey’s signing of the Mecca Defence Agreement will strengthen the security of global maritime trade routes, contributing to exports, energy supplies and economic stability. Participation in the agreement does not mean that Turkish soldiers will be sent to every regional crisis. Decisions on the use of force and military operations will be taken within the framework of the constitutional order and national decision-making mechanisms,” explained the Turkish authorities, adding that “Relations between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are based not only on the interests of the states involved, but also on a shared history, faith, brotherhood and solidarity.”
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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