The Mecca Agreement... Steps to Establish a Regional Security Architecture
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have agreed on practical steps to establish a security architecture under the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” aimed at achieving stability and prosperity in the region.
In a joint statement issued today in Istanbul on Monday, the three countries reaffirmed their determination to work together under the “Mecca Agreement” to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region, driven by their commitment to fulfilling their regional responsibilities. To this end, they will continue to support efforts to de-escalate tensions and exercise restraint, thereby encouraging peaceful resolutions to crises.
The three nations agreed to take further steps to institutionalize their cooperation within the framework of the “Mecca Agreement,” thereby enhancing their solidarity and ensuring the credibility and effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense. This initiative will also contribute to regional efforts and cooperative security aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace.
The statement added that an agreement was reached to establish a general secretariat in Saudi Arabia under the convention, which will initially be headed by a Pakistani secretary-general for a term of three years.
It noted that the three countries will work through joint activities to enhance their defensive capabilities and the cohesion of their armed forces, through robust cooperation in the defense industry, and by developing joint production and technologies. Furthermore, through the institutional and serious implementation of the “Mecca Agreement,” they will make significant contributions to regional peace and stability.
For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced the agreement to rename the convention the “Mecca Alliance,” which allows for the accession of other countries under specific conditions.
Speaking at a press conference following the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee stemming from the “Mecca Agreement,” Fidan said the three countries are preparing a “roadmap” for the accession of other nations to the alliance, which was founded on the principle that other countries could join “according to our conditions.”
He emphasized that the alliance is “based on the principle of defense” and is “complementary to NATO,” while denying that it is directed against any specific country.
Describing the agreement as a “historic step,” Fidan stated that the participating countries had taken practical steps to establish a security structure, stressing that countries in the region need to act together to establish peace.
For his part, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman affirmed that the Kingdom is proceeding with activating the pathways of the “Mecca Agreement,” thereby enhancing political and defense integration among member states and supporting security and stability.
In his speech, Prince Khalid bin Salman underscored the depth of strategic relations among the three countries, pointing to the interdependence of their security and noting that confronting challenges and threats requires political coordination, defense integration, and collective military readiness.
The first meeting was attended by Prince Khalid bin Salman, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and Chief of General Staff Faiyadh Al-Ruwaili from the Saudi side; Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and Chief of General Staff Salih Cevikoglu from the Turkish side; and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir from the Pakistani side.
The meeting addressed issues of international security, the development of defense capabilities, the enhancement of operational integration among the armed forces of the three countries, the deepening of cooperation in the defense industry, including joint production and research and development, and the strengthening of joint efforts in counter-terrorism.
The meeting defined the framework for the General Secretariat, which was agreed to be headquartered in Riyadh, as well as other related mechanisms that will guide work in the areas of joint activity specified by the Political and Defense Strategy Committee, and discussed a “roadmap” for future steps.
