Türkiye, Pakistan, S Arabia create defense pact in historic move

Serkan Demirtaş - ANKARA

Regional heavyweights Türkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia have signed a three-way historic defense pact that stipulates that “any armed attack against any of them will be regarded as an attack against them all” amid growing geopolitical security uncertainties.

Ankara believes the agreement will completely “overhaul the regional security architecture” while assuring that it is not targeting any particular country.

“The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement” was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Mecca on Aug. 7.

“The Agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of the three States shall be regarded as an attack against them all. It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of defense cooperation among the three states," read the joint statement.

It also underlined that the agreement reflects the three parties’ “shared commitment to further strengthening their collective security and to promoting peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond, in pursuit of a secure and prosperous future.”

Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan have developed strategic ties in recent years by focusing on intensified cooperation in the fields of military, security, and the defense industry. They were in discussions on creating a defense pact for the past years, and regional developments, including the war between Iran and the U.S., have expedited the process.

HH ‘Deal does not target any country.'
According to Turkish sources, the agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that “an armed attack against any of the three states shall be considered an attack against them all.”

The deal is the tangible outcome of long-standing consultations conducted in line with the principle of regional ownership to establish a common framework for addressing growing regional and international security threats, the sources said.

Türkiye has long been advocating the principle of regional ownership to tackle growing problems of the region in a bid to prevent the intervention of outside forces into regional matters.

One of the practical outcomes of the agreement is that it will allow three countries to enhance defense industry cooperation and military interoperability.

“The Makkah Agreement does not represent a departure from any existing alliance or agreement. It complements existing alliances, strengthens regional security, and provides a framework for cooperation open to other countries in the region,” the sources added.

Not an alternative to NATO

According to the officials, Türkiye’s NATO membership and regional partnerships are not alternatives to each other but rather complementary structures.

“The Makkah agreement is not an alternative to the existing security architecture in the Gulf but a complementary arrangement that contributes to regional security,” they suggested, underlining that Türkiye is continuing to fulfill its NATO obligations.

“The Makkah Agreement is not an aggressive military bloc, an encirclement initiative, or an instrument of offensive planning. Rather, it is a step that will also contribute to the stability of the region. The Makkah Agreement is not targeting any state and does not close existing channels of dialogue with any country,” they stated.

HH Regional security architecture shifting
From the Turkish perspective, the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement has a historic meaning for the region and the Islamic world, as the agreement is redesigning the regional security architecture.

The signing of the agreement will not drag Türkiye into other conflicts, the sources recall, obviously referring to Pakistan’s conflict with India and Saudi Arabia’s ongoing problems with Houthi in Yemen.

Thanks to this agreement, Türkiye is diversifying cooperation options in the changing and increasingly complex international security environment, the sources stressed.

Türkiye’s signing the agreement will also help to strengthen the security of global maritime trade routes, contributing to exports, energy supply and economic stability, they said, underlining that Türkiye’s participation in the agreement does not mean that Turkish troops will be sent to every regional crisis.

“Decisions regarding the use of force and military operations will be made within the framework of the constitutional order and national decision-making mechanisms,” they added.