Turkey: 'Mecca Defense Agreement' Will Contribute to Achieving Regional and Global Peace and Stability
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed that the “Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense,” concluded between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, will make a significant contribution to achieving peace and stability in the region and worldwide.
Erdogan stated in a speech before the summit of states and governments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, yesterday: “The Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense, based on regional ownership and collective deterrence, will make a significant contribution to achieving peace and stability in the region and worldwide.”
The final statement issued from the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee of the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense, held in Istanbul the day before yesterday, confirmed that Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey will work through joint activities to enhance their defense capabilities and the cohesion of their armed forces, through “robust cooperation in the field of defense industries, and the development of joint production and technologies.” The statement renewed the three countries’ commitment to work together within the framework of the Mecca Agreement to achieve sustainable peace and stability in their region. To this end, the three countries will continue to support efforts aimed at de-escalation and restraint, thereby encouraging the peaceful resolution of crises, in light of their determination to fulfill their regional responsibilities.
It was noted that the three countries agreed to take further steps to institutionalize their cooperation under the Mecca Agreement. They decided to establish a General Secretariat in Saudi Arabia to support the work of the three countries within the framework of the Mecca Agreement. The head of the Secretariat in its initial phase will be a Secretary-General from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, serving a three-year term.
The statement emphasized that institutionalizing the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense strengthens the solidarity of its member states, ensures the credibility and effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense, and contributes to regional efforts and cooperative security aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace. It affirmed that the serious and institutional implementation of the agreement will enable the three countries to make fundamental contributions to regional peace and stability.
