ISTANBUL: The first meeting of the committee established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye was held in Istanbul, with the foreign ministers, defence ministers and military leadership of all three countries in attendance.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the primary objective of the meeting was to promote regional peace and stability.
Fidan said the participants discussed various measures aimed at developing an institutional framework for the agreement. He expressed confidence that the decisions taken during the meeting would produce meaningful and practical results.
The Turkish foreign minister emphasized that the partnership between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia was based on international law and was not directed against any particular state.
“We have begun establishing the structure of the alliance,” Fidan said, adding that different steps for institutional development were discussed during the meeting.
He further said work was underway to prepare a roadmap for the possible inclusion of additional countries in the agreement.
The agenda of the meeting included determining joint responsibilities in the face of growing regional and global tensions, as well as discussing regional and international security issues and ways to further strengthen the defence capabilities of the three countries.
The participants also considered measures to enhance coordination among the armed forces of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. Cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production, research and development, was also reviewed.
The meeting further discussed ways to strengthen joint efforts against terrorism and improve cooperation among the three countries in addressing common security challenges.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement aims to promote security, peace, stability and prosperity while strengthening joint defence capabilities and collective deterrence among the participating countries.
Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one member state will be regarded as an attack against all three members, reinforcing the principle of collective defence.
The Istanbul meeting marked an important step towards developing the institutional mechanisms of the agreement and enhancing strategic, defence and security cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye.
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