Top officials from the countries party to the historic Mecca Joint Defense Agreement convened in Istanbul on Monday on the occasion of the first meeting of the Strategic, Political and Defense Committee established to advance the deal.
The committee is expected to provide strategic direction to activities to be carried out under the agreement and comprises the foreign and defense ministers and chiefs of general staff of Türkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
Following a family photo, the meeting began with the participation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, and Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, and Chief of the General Staff General Fayyadh bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.
The meeting is expected to address international security issues, as well as the development of defense capabilities, in this context, promoting greater interoperability among the armed forces of the three countries, deepening cooperation in the defense industry, including joint production and research and development; and strengthening joint efforts in the fight against terrorism.
