OMM Newsroom
Turkey’s parliament has ratified a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, AnewZ reported. The decision strengthens military cooperation among the three countries amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
After two days of debate, lawmakers approved the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” on Thursday. A total of 279 deputies voted in favor and 119 against.
The agreement, signed by the leaders of the three countries in August, establishes a collective defense mechanism: an attack on one participant will be considered an attack on the other two as well. The document also provides for expanded military cooperation, intelligence sharing, joint exercises and collaboration in the defense industry.
The agreement does not automatically authorize Turkey to deploy troops abroad
The parliamentary vote came as Saudi Arabia faced renewed attacks by missiles and drones from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis. Saudi Arabia has also continued intensive airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. A strike on the capital, Sanaa, on Thursday reportedly killed seven people.
Despite clearing a key legislative hurdle, the agreement does not automatically authorize Turkey to deploy military forces abroad. For example, a separate parliamentary approval would be required to send Turkish troops to Saudi Arabia.
Fuat Oktay, chairman of the Turkish parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, recently said Ankara would not be “drawn into an uncontrolled process against its will” and stressed that any future troop deployment would require explicit parliamentary approval.
Opposition deputy Murat Emir warned that the agreement could draw Turkey into the conflict in Yemen. He recalled the losses suffered by Ottoman soldiers during earlier military campaigns.
Turkish officials have repeatedly stressed that the “Mecca agreement” is defensive in nature and does not envisage Turkey’s participation in offensive operations against the Houthis.
The agreement will remain in force for at least 10 years
The trilateral document also provides for the creation of a strategic political and defense committee to coordinate joint activities. The committee’s secretariat will be based in Saudi Arabia.
The agreement will remain in force for at least 10 years. Other states may join the document if all three founding countries agree.
Defense ties between Turkey and Pakistan date back decades. Relations between Ankara and Riyadh have improved significantly after years of diplomatic tensions.
The agreement also reflects Riyadh’s efforts to diversify security partnerships that have long depended on the United States. The vote came amid growing concerns that renewed fighting involving Iran could trigger a wider conflict in the Middle East.
