The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a 16-article trilateral pact between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, has been formally submitted to the Turkish parliament for ratification. The document, seen by Reuters, was signed on 7 August and aims to create a joint defence architecture among the three nations.
Article 1 commits signatories to use “all necessary means” to eliminate threats to each other’s territorial integrity. Article 2, which closely mirrors Article 5 of the NATO treaty, states: “In the event one of the parties is subjected to an armed attack or military aggression by another country or group of countries, the parties shall immediately provide assistance to the party under attack, utilising the full range of mutual assistance measures available to them.” It adds that each party will determine the scope and nature of its support after assessing the assistance required, and will cooperate within available resources, including military capabilities.
Earlier this month, the three countries agreed to activate “deterrence measures” under the pact and rapidly deploy forces to the Gulf to counter attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group, known formally as Ansar Allah. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking on Monday, described the situation as a “ring of fire” and pointed to Houthi attacks on Riyadh airport and oil facilities.
Other articles cover defence industry cooperation, intelligence sharing, logistical support, joint training, counter-terrorism, and joint research and development in advanced technology. A defence committee comprising foreign and defence ministers from all three states will be established, and other nations may join with the approval of all three founders. The agreement runs for ten years, after which any party may withdraw.
Burhanettin Duran, the Turkish presidency’s communications director, said on X that the strategic partnership aims to “strengthen collective deterrence, enhance joint capabilities in the defence sector, and safeguard security and stability in our region.” He described the ratification process as an important milestone toward institutionalising strategic cooperation.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar reported that ratification in the Turkish parliament will take “quite some time” despite a simple majority requirement, as opposition parties are expected to debate the pact. The parliamentary speaker will refer the agreement to the foreign affairs commission, which could consider it as early as Friday. Once submitted, the full text is expected to become public. Even if ratified, deployment of Turkish troops would require separate legislative approval.