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- 'Agreement envisions integration rather than bloc-building in region, embracing inclusive rather than divisive vision,' says Turkish deputy foreign minister
UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER
By Busranur Keskinkilic, Gokhan Celiker and Fatma Zehra Solmaz
ANKARA / ISTANBUL (AA) - The Turkish parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday approved a bill to ratify the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
The bill was approved following deliberations during which Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gumrukcu answered lawmakers' questions about the agreement.
Speaking at the committee meeting, Gumrukcu said the agreement aimed to strengthen regional security through cooperation and collective defense.
“The Mecca agreement is not only an extension of the special friendly relations between the three countries, but also a concrete product of the regional ownership increasingly needed in our region,” Gumrukcu said.
He recalled that the agreement was signed in Mecca on Aug. 7 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
He said Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had completed their domestic ratification procedures and submitted the required official notifications.
Gumrukcu said the agreement marked an initial step toward establishing a regional security framework based on cooperation and collective defense, adding that the three countries aimed to take responsibility for addressing regional challenges rather than waiting for solutions from outside the region.
He said the framework was intended to contribute not only to the security of the three signatories but also to that of the wider region by strengthening dialogue and cooperation based on mutual trust and promoting lasting stability.
- Deal 'envisions integration rather than bloc-building in region'
Gumrukcu stressed that the agreement was entirely defensive in nature and did not target any country.
He said it was open to all regional countries that respect international law, including the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the prohibition of the use of force except in self-defense, the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in internal affairs.
"The agreement envisions integration rather than bloc-building in the region, embracing an inclusive rather than divisive vision," he added.
- Defense cooperation and NATO commitments
Gumrukcu said the agreement envisaged strengthening collective deterrence, holding regular consultations on international security issues, and improving interoperability between the countries' armed forces through personnel exchanges, joint training programs, and military exercises.
It also provides for closer defense industry cooperation, including joint production and technology sharing, stronger joint counterterrorism efforts, and logistical support between the parties in implementing the agreement, he said.
The deputy foreign minister emphasized that the agreement would neither replace nor undermine Türkiye's obligations under its existing alliances and agreements.
He said the initiative was expected to complement Türkiye's participation in multilateral platforms, particularly NATO, by contributing to security and stability across the broader Middle East and supporting European security in light of the interconnected nature of the two regions.
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Fuat Oktay also dismissed concerns that the pact could constitute an alternative to NATO.
"There were questions about whether an alternative to NATO was being created. Absolutely not," Oktay told reporters.
"This agreement will not undermine the territorial integrity or sovereignty of the three countries, nor any agreements they have concluded to date," he added.
Oktay said the pact would not alter the countries' legal standing, sovereignty or foreign and defense policies, stressing that it would not disrupt the coherence of Türkiye's foreign policy.
- Agreement open to new members
Gumrukcu said the Mecca Agreement was open to additional members and that the alliance was expected to expand.
He said membership would be available to countries willing to assume responsibility and respect international law, including independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-use of force and non-interference in internal affairs.
The admission of new members would require a joint decision by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, he said.
For Türkiye, any such decision would also require parliamentary approval, as is the case with NATO, he added.
Addressing a provision preventing signatories from withdrawing during the first 10 years, Gumrukcu said international agreements were generally concluded for an indefinite period, subject to certain withdrawal conditions.
He cited the Montreux Convention, which initially stipulated a 20-year period, as an example of similar arrangements under international law.
Gumrukcu also said there were currently no plans for military deployments under the Mecca defense alliance.
He noted that any deployment of Turkish Armed Forces personnel abroad after the agreement's ratification and entry into force would be subject to Article 92 of the Turkish Constitution.
"There is not the slightest element in the agreement concerning Pakistan or nuclear weapons," he added.
- Bedir Memorandum separate from Mecca Agreement
Gumrukcu also addressed the Bedir Memorandum signed by Türkiye, Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia.
He said the memorandum had no organic connection to the Mecca alliance but reflected the same broader approach to regional cooperation.
"The Bedir Memorandum is a result of our approach aimed at deepening cooperation among regional countries on various issues and enabling these countries to develop common solutions together," he said.
Seyit Şamil Kurt
