Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan to Hold First Meeting Under Makkah Defence Pact
3 sources across 3 countries · Pakistan · United Kingdom · United States
Who reported this
- Dawn
- Reuters
- Al-Monitor
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- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Top officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan will meet in Istanbul on Monday, August 31, for the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee. This committee was established under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which the three nations signed on August 7. The pact is designed to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression and stipulates that an armed attack against one member will be regarded as an attack on all three.
Turkish officials attending the meeting include Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler, and Chief of General Staff Gen Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has arrived in Istanbul for the proceedings following an official visit to the United Kingdom. The meeting agenda is expected to cover international security issues, the enhancement of defence capabilities, interoperability among armed forces, and cooperation in the defence industry, including joint production.
Center leaning coverage frames the pact as a response to regional conflict and the military stances of Israel and Iran, noting that the agreement is similar to NATO's Article 5 collective defence clause. Center left coverage focuses more on the diplomatic movements of Pakistani officials and the pact's relationship to the R-4 group, which includes Egypt and focuses on regional security and mediation efforts.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- Framed the event through the lens of Pakistani diplomatic activity and broader regional security coordination.
- Centre
- Framed the pact as a strategic collective defence move driven by concerns over Iran and Israel.
Sources
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