Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to Hold First Defence Committee Meeting Under Mecca Pact

Istanbul is hosting the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed earlier this month. Top officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will discuss “international security issues” on Monday, August 31, Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said.

Who Is Expected to Attend

The meeting is expected to be attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defence Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. Pakistan is expected to be represented by Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman and Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili are also due to attend.

What’s on the Agenda

The discussion is expected to cover enhancing defence capabilities, greater interoperability among the three countries’ armed forces, and deepening cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production and development. Counter-terrorism efforts are also expected to be discussed. The meeting is expected to introduce a bureaucracy, an administrative secretariat and other relevant mechanisms to guide work in areas of joint activity, as determined by the Strategic and Political Defence Committee. It will also establish a roadmap for steps to be taken in the coming period.

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About the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on August 7, is said to be based on a shared sense of responsibility in the region and growing international instability. The pact carries a NATO-like stipulation that an attack on one party will be considered an attack against all.