Turkey: Political and Military Mechanisms for the Mecca Agreement

Ankara (Agencies): Turkey revealed new details regarding the practical steps to implement the “Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense,” signed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan last week, confirming that the three countries will establish strategic, political, and military mechanisms for coordination among themselves. The plan includes conducting joint military exercises and expanding cooperation in defense industries, as well as keeping the door open for other countries to join.

Turkey’s Ministry of Defense stated yesterday that the agreement aims to establish a “sustainable institutional framework” for cooperation among the three nations, rather than limiting coordination to crisis situations, according to Reuters. During a weekly briefing in Ankara, the ministry clarified that the new mechanisms would include the defense ministers, foreign ministers, and chiefs of staff from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, thereby providing regular political and military levels for consultation and decision-making.

The ministry also noted that the three countries plan to conduct joint military exercises under the agreement, alongside enhancing cooperation in defense industries, including joint production and the transfer and exchange of technology. Ankara did not rule out expanding the agreement in the future, with the Turkish Ministry of Defense confirming that other countries could join after the necessary mechanisms are formed and operational arrangements are completed.

Pakistan, for its part, had previously affirmed that the agreement is defensive in nature and does not target any specific country, pointing to the possibility of other nations joining in the future. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan signed the “Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense” on August 7. One of its key provisions stipulates that any armed attack on one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all parties, a collective defense formulation that resembles, in principle, Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) charter.

However, officials from the participating countries have emphasized since the signing that the agreement is defensive and does not target any state. It is also based on the right of states to self-defense as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

New Turkish details reveal that the next phase will focus on transforming the agreement from a political umbrella for joint defense into a system with permanent operational mechanisms. The inclusion of foreign ministers, defense ministers, and chiefs of staff within separate or joint mechanisms opens the door for coordinating political stances and military planning, while joint exercises will test the ability of the armed forces of the three countries to operate together in the field.

The defense industry track holds particular importance given the differing capabilities possessed by the three countries. Turkey has developed a broad base for defense industries in recent years, particularly in drones, ships, and electronic systems. Pakistan possesses a substantial industrial base and extensive military expertise, while Saudi Arabia is increasingly localizing its defense industries.

The three countries have previously established extensive bilateral military relations. The Saudi and Pakistani militaries share a long history of training and military cooperation. In recent months, a Pakistani military force comprising fighter jets and support units arrived in Saudi Arabia as part of the defense cooperation between Riyadh and Islamabad.