He says that a committee of ministers similar to that within NATO would be formed as part of the alliance
ANKARA:
A defence pact signed between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is technically the same as NATO’s Article 5 mutual defence agreement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday, adding the accord was not targeting Iran.
Fidan also said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan wanted to see the alliance expand, and that Egypt was a potential candidate to join, among others.
Speaking to the state-run Anadolu news agency, Fidan said the new alliance was not directed against Iran or any other country, but rather served as a general pledge to support the three allies’ security.
He added that the allies would decide through consultations what degree, form, and format of support they would ask for in the event of an attack, but that no country would be considered a threat as long as a member state is not attacked.
Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army, has said the pact was open to expansion to other regional countries and did not seek to replace any existing alliances.
“NATO is a giant military alliance where there are 32 countries. We have started here as three countries and we have to take very humble but concrete steps,” he said, adding efforts to finalise the pact had been underway for two years and eight months.
He added that a committee of ministers similar to that within NATO would be formed as part of the alliance, as well as a general secretariat based in Saudi Arabia, but that operational details would be set at the first committee meeting.
“Our president’s vision is that we don’t remain limited to three countries, that we grow and bring together all (regional) countries under this roof,” he said, adding Egypt could potentially join the pact once certain technical matters are resolved.
In recent months, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt formed a group to address regional issues, namely the war on Iran. Turkey has said the group – dubbed the R4 – aims to solidify its partnership through concrete mechanisms.
Fidan also said Turkey should be involved in an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks because shipping safety concerned Ankara’s interests.
Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Saturday welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.
OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha expressed his “strong appreciation and support” for the agreement, describing it as an “important strategic step” reflecting the three countries’ commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation, according to a statement by the organisation.
Taha said the agreement constituted “a fundamental pillar for supporting security and stability in the region and across the Muslim world.”
He added that it embodied a shared determination to address growing security challenges and strengthen solidarity and constructive partnerships among OIC member states.
The OIC chief also praised the efforts and leadership of the three countries that culminated in the signing of what he called a “historic agreement.”
He expressed hope that the pact would contribute to achieving peace and prosperity in the region and the wider international community.
On Friday, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a joint defence agreement at a trilateral summit in Makkah, pledging to strengthen collective security, deepen defence cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the summit held at Al-Safa Palace.
According to information obtained from Turkish officials, the agreement is a defence-oriented cooperation arrangement that targets no country and is designed to strengthen commitments to regional and global peace, stability and prosperity through burden-sharing and a common security approach.
The agreement aims to strengthen collective deterrence against any act of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against any one of the three countries shall be regarded as an attack against them all, the officials added.
