A defence pact signed between Türkiye, 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.
Speaking to the state-run Anadolu news agency, Fidan said 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. Egypt could potentially join the pact once certain technical matters are resolved, he said.
The Turkish top diplomat laid out the following key points in his comments:
"► The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is technically the same as Article 5 of NATO Treaty on collective defense.
► The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement does not specify any 'common threat'.
► No country that does not attack us is our target under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement.
► Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye, which signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, are not expansionist countries.
► President Erdoğan's vision is to expand the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement beyond 3 countries, bring all countries under the framework if necessary."
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye signed the agreement on Friday.
