Istanbul hosts first ministerial meeting of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement

Istanbul, Islamabad – AFP, Reuters – The city of Istanbul is hosting on Monday the inaugural meeting of the Defense and Strategic Committee, a body established under the “Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense,” signed on August 7 by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

For its part, Saudi Arabia will send, according to Turkish sources, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, and Chief of the General Staff, First Lieutenant General Faiyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.

The agreement aims to enhance collective deterrence against any hostile act and stipulates that an armed attack on any of the three countries will be considered an attack on all.