Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign Mecca Joint Defence Agreement
Pact says an armed attack on one member will be treated as an attack on all
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on Friday, pledging to strengthen collective security and deepen defence cooperation among the three countries.
According to a joint statement issued following the Mecca Summit on Joint Defence, the agreement reflects the three nations' commitment to enhancing their shared security and promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.
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The pact is set to strengthen joint deterrence against external threats and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all, while also providing a framework for expanding cooperation across all areas of defence.
The summit was held at Al Safa Palace in Mecca after Erdogan and Shehbaz Sharif travelled to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
During the meeting, the three leaders reviewed the longstanding relations between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, as well as a range of regional and international issues of mutual interest.
The joint statement said the agreement builds on the three countries' longstanding historical ties, bonds of Islamic solidarity and shared strategic interests, while reinforcing their close defence cooperation and commitment to regional security.
