Senior officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan will convene in Istanbul on Monday for the first trilateral meeting under the “Mecca Joint Defense Pact.”
The meeting will be attended by the foreign and defense ministers, as well as the chiefs of staff of the armed forces of all three countries. A source at Turkey’s Foreign Ministry told Reuters that international security issues will feature prominently on the agenda.
The “Mecca Joint Defense Pact” was signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan on August 7. Under the agreement, an armed attack against any one of the three member states will be regarded as an attack against all three a principle similar to NATO’s collective-defense provision under Article 5.
During the trilateral talks in Istanbul, the three sides are expected to discuss strengthening defense capabilities, enhancing coordination among their armed forces, and expanding joint cooperation in the defense industry.
The framework of the pact also includes the joint production and development of weapons and military equipment.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
