“Badr Memorandum of Understanding” was signed between the Defense Ministries of Türkiye, Qatar, Indonesia, and Pakistan. (AA Photo)
The alliances Türkiye has recently joined with its regional allies demonstrate its rising influence and effective diplomacy, the Defense Ministry has said.
“Together with the Mecca Defense Alliance and the Badr Memorandum of Understanding, it is a concrete indicator of our country’s effectiveness and strategic cooperation in the international arena,” ministry officials said on Oct. 22.
The statement came after Türkiye, Qatar, Indonesia and Pakistan defense minister signed the Badr Memorandum of Understanding on Oct. 21 in Doha. Türkiye and Pakistan, along with Saudi Arabia, are also the members of the Mecca Defense Alliance set in early August.
“On the basis of mutual trust and common interests, we will continue our efforts toward reinforcing regional peace and security by establishing strong and sustainable partnerships with our complementary capabilities, capacities and experiences,” officials maintained.
The defense agreement signed between the four countries is a clear indication of strong friendship and the will to work together, they said.
“With this memorandum, it is aimed to establish long-term and sustainable strategic partnerships between our countries through the implementation of joint projects in the field of defense industry, the increase of research and development activities, the strengthening of infrastructure and supply chains, and the development of joint production capacity,” the officials said.
They also added that this agreement will contribute to peace and stability in the wider region.
Libya agreement fully legal
The officials also commented on the Libyan House of Representatives’ ratification of the Türkiye-Libya maritime delimitation agreement which was originally signed in late 2019.
Welcoming the parliamentary confirmation, the officials thanked Libyan officials who demonstrated a strong will to this end.
“We attach great importance on this memorandum, which contributes to protecting the rights and interests of both countries in the eastern Mediterranean. And we support the objective of a ‘united and integrated Libya’ that brings the east and west of Libya together around a common future,” they stressed.
On the statements from the EU and Greece which argued that the deal is null and void, the ministry recalled that the agreement was signed between the two countries based on international law and interests of the littoral countries.
“The delimitation of maritime jurisdiction areas falls within the scope of the sovereign rights of the relevant coastal states, and the legal validity of the said Memorandum of Understanding cannot be nullified by the unilateral assessments of third parties,” they noted.
