Turkish Foreign Minister to participate in 'Mecca Alliance' meeting in Riyadh tomorrow

Istanbul, Oct 4 (KUNA) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will participate tomorrow, Monday, in the political, strategic, and defense committee meeting of the Mecca Pact for Joint Defense, to discuss the institutionalization of the alliance and the next steps to enhance security cooperation and regional stability, in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Sources at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Fidan will attend the meeting alongside Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of the General Staff, General Salih Cevikoglu.

Fidan is expected to present Turkey’s vision regarding the institutionalization of the Mecca Pact and outline its next steps, while discussing threats facing the security and stability of the Middle East. He will reaffirm Saudi Arabia’s support in confronting Houthi attacks and reject the targeting of holy sites. He will also emphasize the importance of resolving conflicts through peaceful means and avoiding any steps that could escalate tensions in the region, while stressing the need to ensure freedom and security of navigation in international trade routes.

Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Pact for Joint Defense on August 7 last year, with the aim of enhancing regional security and stability. The committee held its first meeting in Istanbul on August 31, followed by a meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries in New York on September 24, and then a meeting of their chiefs of staff in Riyadh on September 25. (End)