Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to hold their first ministerial meeting of a newly formed regional defence grouping in Istanbul on Monday. The meeting follows the signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement earlier this month, which aims to strengthen military and security cooperation among the three countries.
The agreement was signed in Mecca on August 7 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It has been described as a NATO-style mutual defence arrangement. Under the pact, an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be treated as an attack on all three, creating a framework for collective defence support.
The Istanbul meeting is expected to bring together senior political and military officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Pakistan is likely to be represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with the country's defence minister and senior military leadership.
Saudi Arabia is also expected to send a high-level delegation, including its foreign and defence ministers and chief of the general staff. Turkey will play a central role in the discussions, with its foreign and defence ministers and chief of the general staff expected to jointly chair the meeting.
One of the key proposals under discussion is the creation of a “political and defence strategic committee”. According to Turkish sources cited by AFP, the proposed committee would include foreign and defence ministers as well as military chiefs from all three countries. It would provide a formal mechanism for coordinating security and defence policies.
The grouping brings together three countries with significant but different strategic capabilities. Turkey has one of NATO's largest armies, Pakistan is the only nuclear-armed country in the Islamic world, and Saudi Arabia is a major military and economic power in the Gulf.
The talks are taking place amid growing security concerns across the Middle East and surrounding regions. Recent tensions involving the United States and Iran, along with attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, have added to concerns about regional stability.
Defence cooperation is expected to be a major focus of the Istanbul discussions. The three countries are likely to explore ways to improve military coordination, strengthen defence capabilities and increase interoperability between their armed forces.
The meeting may also focus on cooperation in the defence industry. Turkey has been seeking to expand its defence exports and partnerships, while Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have their own interests in developing and strengthening domestic military capabilities.
The Istanbul meeting could therefore mark an important step in turning the Mecca agreement into a more structured and practical security partnership.
Reader Comments 0