Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Mecca Defense Alliance between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia remains open to other regional countries sharing a common vision for peace.
In an article titled “The Role of Regional Ownership in Our Foreign Policy: The Mecca Defense Alliance,” published in the November issue of Anadolu Agency (AA)’s AA Briefing magazine, Fidan outlined Türkiye’s vision for addressing regional challenges through collective security mechanisms.
The minister said the global governance system was undergoing a period of significant strain, with the Middle East at the center of mounting international challenges.
Against this backdrop, Türkiye signed the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, two countries sharing Ankara’s vision of “regional solutions to regional problems,” he said.
The agreement seeks to strengthen collective security and promote regional stability by enhancing deterrence, according to Fidan.
“The Mecca Defense Alliance stands at the intersection of our strategic foreign policy priorities, which can be summarized as strengthening regional peace and stability, supporting development and prosperity, expanding the institutional foundations of our foreign relations and contributing to the transformation of the global system,” Fidan wrote.
The foreign minister also addressed the institutional framework of Türkiye’s foreign relations, challenges facing global governance and Ankara’s long-term foreign policy vision.
Parliament approves pact
Meanwhile, the Turkish Parliament on Thursday approved legislation ratifying the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The bill passed with 279 votes, receiving support from lawmakers representing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), its ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The agreement establishes a framework for collective defense cooperation among the three countries, reflecting their shared commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law.
Under its collective defense provisions, an external armed attack or military aggression against any signatory would be considered an attack against all three countries.
The pact also provides for mutual assistance, including military capabilities, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self-defense.
