ANKARA: Turkey submitted the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement to parliament for ratification, moving NATO's second-largest army closer to a formal mutual defense pledge with Saudi Arabia as the kingdom continues to face Houthi attacks, officials said.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the agreement in August, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. The provision, similar to NATO's Article 5, refers to Article 51 of the UN Charter, covering the individual or collective right of states to self-defense against armed attacks.
All three members agreed to use "all necessary means" to eliminate threats to one another's territorial integrity, sovereignty or internationally recognized borders, according to the text seen by Reuters.
The agreement will enter into force upon the deposit of ratification documents with the secretariat in Riyadh and will remain valid indefinitely. Parties may not withdraw for the first 10 years.
Pakistan's Ratification Complete
While Pakistan has made clear that "collective deterrence measures" under the trilateral defense agreement are "already in play," Ankara still requires formal parliamentary ratification. According to official sources, Pakistan follows an executive-led treaty-making system, where the federal government's ratification is sufficient for subjects on the federal legislative list.
Under Article 90 of Pakistan's Constitution, "the executive authority of the Federation shall be exercised in the name of the President by the Federal Government, consisting of the Prime Minister and the Federal Ministers."
However, under Turkey's constitution, separate parliamentary permission is required to deploy troops abroad, regardless of any international agreement.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, currently visiting Kyrgyzstan, is expected to refer the agreement to parliament's foreign affairs commission upon his return, which could debate it as early as Friday.
Turkish Officials Downplay Military Role
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's communications director, Burhanettin Duran, said Turkey's recent step marked an important milestone toward institutionalizing strategic cooperation between the three nations.
"This strategic partnership developed between our countries aims to strengthen collective deterrence, enhance joint capabilities in the defense sector, and safeguard security and stability in our region," Duran said in a post on X.
A Turkish official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Turkey's contribution was expected to be limited to military equipment, intelligence sharing and weapons systems, adding that no other form of deployment had taken place under the alliance so far.
Asked how Turkey could help Saudi Arabia defend against attacks by Yemen's Houthis, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Makkah Agreement was not an "offensive agreement," adding that Turkey would not send troops to another country to carry out attacks on its territory.
Egypt to Vote on Saudi Support
Although not part of the Makkah alliance, Egypt's parliament is expected to vote Oct. 26 on authorizing potential military support for Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of its submission for parliamentary approval, the full contents of the agreement were published for the first time by Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber.
Turkey, which has a robust defense industry, has condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, expressed willingness to help meet Riyadh's military technology needs and agreed to join a Saudi-led coalition to ensure navigational safety in the Red Sea.
The agreement also envisions close cooperation on defense industry, intelligence sharing, logistical support and the fight against "all means of terrorism," including at the operational level.
Four-Nation Defense Memorandum
Meanwhile, TRT World reported that Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia are expected to sign a defense industry cooperation memorandum Wednesday.
The signing will be held in Qatar, which is also expected to announce plans to establish a local defense production hub, the Gulf state's Minister of State for Defense Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Global Security Forum in Doha on Monday.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler will travel to Doha for the signing. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was also in Doha for the security forum, is expected to represent Pakistan.
Earlier, Naqvi met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who also commands Qatar's Internal Security Force. The two discussed the current regional situation and matters concerning regional peace and stability, the state-run APP news agency reported.
During their meeting, the two men agreed to expand the security partnership between Pakistan and Qatar and held detailed discussions on expanding cooperation in areas related to internal security.
