Saudi minister: Makkah defense agreement with Turkiye, Pakistan not a ‘military axis or sectarian bloc’
RIYADH: The defense agreement signed on Friday between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan is not an effort to establish a “military axis or a sectarian bloc,” a senior Saudi minister said.
“Nor is it linked to any nuclear ambitions or arms race, rather it is focused on building sustainable capabilities,” Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly said shortly after the deal was announced.
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement was signed in the Kingdom by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Krimly said the agreement reflects the depth of the longstanding strategic relationship between the three countries and follows years of negotiations.
