Saudi Foreign Minister: (Mecca Joint Defense Agreement) underscores the depth of relations among the three countries

Jeddah, Aug 7 (KUNA) -- Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Friday that the signing of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement underscores the deep strategic and fraternal relations among the three countries.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan, via his official account on the X platform, added that the signing of the agreement by Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif marks an important milestone in the defense cooperation trajectory among the three nations and reflects their shared desire to unify efforts to confront challenges and threats affecting the security and stability of the region.

He clarified that the agreement embodies the common political will of the three countries to protect security and stability, support a safer regional environment that serves their nations and peoples, positively impact the broader region, and pave the way for a secure future that enhances opportunities for development and prosperity.

For his part, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Dr. Raed Qarmali, said on his official X account that the agreement reflects the deep historical strategic relations among the three countries, spanning decades, and is the culmination of detailed negotiations that lasted years.

Ambassador Qarmali explained that the agreement enables the three founding states to develop joint defense capabilities and strategic deterrence, enhance readiness, and work on developing and integrating the defensive capabilities of the three countries to jointly confront any threat to their security and territorial integrity. Under the agreement, any external armed attack on any of the three countries is considered an attack on all.

He emphasized that the agreement does not come at the expense of the Kingdom’s strategic and strong relations with Gulf, Arab, and international partners, nor does it threaten the security of any country in the region or escalate tensions between any two states.

Ambassador Qarmali noted that this agreement does not cancel or replace any bilateral or multilateral agreements between these countries or with other states and organizations.

Earlier today, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in Mecca, reflecting the three countries’ commitment to enhancing their common security and achieving peace, stability, and security in the region and the world, with the aim of building a secure and prosperous future.

The agreement aims to strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression and stipulates that any armed attack on any of the three countries is considered an attack on all. It also focuses on developing all aspects of defense cooperation among them. (End) F.N. / M.K.