Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey held an emergency meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee of the Mecca Defense Alliance in Riyadh on Monday to discuss security developments and threats facing Saudi Arabia.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, the committee decided to immediately move toward the practical implementation of collective defense commitments. It agreed to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with approved arrangements and the national laws of the three countries.
The move is intended to strengthen military readiness and integration, as well as the three countries’ collective ability to confront and respond to threats.
The parties stressed that the security of each member is an integral part of the collective security of all three countries. They said translating the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement into practical measures demonstrates the credibility of their collective defense commitment and strengthens deterrence.
The committee reviewed the results of political and military consultations held ahead of the meeting and approved the recommendations presented to it. It also reaffirmed that the Mecca Defense Alliance represents a firm commitment to collective defense and a unified position in confronting threats.
The committee appointed retired Lieutenant General Nauman Mahmood of Pakistan as the alliance’s first secretary-general for a three-year term.
The three countries strongly condemned an attempt to target Mecca and Medina, as well as continuing attacks targeting cities and civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia. They reiterated their categorical rejection of any attack or threat to the Kingdom’s security and territorial integrity.
Pakistan and Turkey praised the vigilance and readiness of the Saudi armed forces, as well as their professionalism and high level of competence in confronting threats and attacks against the Kingdom and protecting its security and territorial integrity.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on August 7. The agreement stipulates that an attack on any one of the three countries is considered an attack on all of them.
During the first meeting of the agreement’s Political and Defense Strategic Committee, held in Istanbul on August 31, the three countries agreed to strengthen defense cooperation, develop military capabilities and establish a secretariat for the agreement in Saudi Arabia.
On September 25, the chiefs of staff of the three countries’ armed forces met in Riyadh and condemned Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
The agreement’s principle—that an attack on one member constitutes an attack on all members—echoes the collective-defense principle enshrined in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Source: Saudi Press Agency (SPA)
