Mecca pact ‘not a rival to NATO’: Defense Ministry
Far from being an alternative or rival to NATO, the newly established alliance between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is purely defensive and designates no country as an adversary, a Defense Ministry spokesman stressed.
“The main objective of this agreement is to contribute to regional security and stability, enhance military cooperation between our countries and strengthen our ability to act jointly against potential crises,” Zeki Aktürk told reporters at a weekly briefing on Aug. 13.
“This agreement is for defensive purposes and does not define any country as a common enemy or adversary,” he stated.
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Aug. 7, in an attempt to redesign the entire security architecture in the Middle East. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also held a trilateral meeting to discuss regional developments.
