Saudi-Pakistan pact set for Turkish parliament: Fidan

ANKARA

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and his Hungarian counterpart Anita Orban (AA Photo)

Authorities will soon submit to parliament the necessary legislation for a trilateral defense pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Oct. 8.

“The necessary work for submitting the agreement to parliament has reached its conclusion... We have almost completed our own work,” Fidan said at a joint news conference with Hungarian counterpart, Anita Orban, in Ankara.

His remarks came days after the three countries held an emergency meeting of the Mecca pact’s strategic political and defense committee in Riyadh on Oct. 5.

Fidan said the meeting was primarily held to discuss attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, as well as steps needed to institutionalize the alliance.

“Especially the structure of the military headquarters, the status of the secretariat and the appointment of a new secretary” were among the main issues discussed, Fidan said.

Türkiye and Pakistan agreed Oct. 5 to activate collective deterrence measures under the alliance and to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia following attacks claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis.

The announcements came hours after forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched a counteroffensive to retake territory seized by the Houthis the previous month.

The Mecca pact was signed in August, shortly before the Houthis launched their offensive in Yemen.

Fidan said Türkiye and Pakistan had also discussed how Ankara could contribute to Saudi Arabia’s defense against Houthi attacks. At the same time, he said Türkiye was working to resolve the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue.

“This is not an offensive pact,” Fidan said. “Türkiye will not send troops to another country’s territory to carry out an attack there.”

The three countries’ defense cooperation comes as Saudi Arabia faces an increased security threat from the conflict in neighboring Yemen, where the Houthis control large parts of the country.

Fidan said the alliance’s institutional structure would also be strengthened as part of the ongoing work.