Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on Aug 7.
PHOTO: REUTERS

Turkey joins Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in ‘Mecca Pact’ hedge against US defence limits

by · The Straits Times
  • Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed the 'Mecca Pact' promising mutual defence, aiming to deepen security cooperation without forming a full military alliance.
  • The pact responds to Iran's regional aggression and US security limitations, fostering joint defence industry and intelligence sharing among signatories.
  • The agreement boosts regional influence for Turkey and Pakistan and offers Saudi Arabia alternative security options, but its credibility will be tested if attacks on Saudi territory continue.

LONDON – The signing of a joint defence agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan marks an important development in the order of the Middle East.

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif put their names to the agreement on Aug 7, they pledged that “an armed attack against any one of the three shall be regarded as an attack against them all”.