The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan discussed, during a meeting held in New York on Friday, arrangements to convene an urgent meeting of the three countries’ chiefs of staff, alongside the executive steps required to activate the Mecca Defence Pact, which considers any attack on one of its parties an attack on all parties.
Ministers review Mecca Pact structures
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held the meeting with his Pakistani and Turkish counterparts, Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Hakan Fidan, at the headquarters of the Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. The ministers reviewed progress on establishing the pact’s general secretariat, committees and working groups, as well as preparations under way to begin the work of these structures.
The meeting addressed preparations for an urgent gathering of the chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan to discuss ways to support the Kingdom within the framework of the obligations set out in the Mecca Pact and the principle of collective defence it adopts.
Condemning attacks and affirming the right to self-defence
The ministers strongly condemned the attacks targeting Mecca and civilian and economic facilities inside Saudi Arabia. They commended the ability of the Saudi armed forces to defend the Kingdom’s security, affirming its right to take the measures it deems appropriate to protect its security, pursuant to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
The foreign ministers also discussed developments in the region and stressed the need to uphold the principles of international law, good-neighbourliness and mutual respect for the sovereignty of states, as well as non-interference in their internal affairs. They also affirmed the importance of ensuring the security and freedom of maritime navigation. The ministers renewed their countries’ determination to continue working towards lasting peace and stability in the region, support efforts aimed at de-escalation and work to reach peaceful solutions to existing crises.
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan announced in a joint statement issued at the end of last month that they had agreed to establish a general secretariat in Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Pact. The announced arrangement stipulates that a Pakistani secretary-general will head the secretariat during its first phase for 3 years.
The announcement followed a meeting held in Istanbul by the three countries’ foreign and defence ministers, defence force commanders and chiefs of general staff, as part of the work of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee established under the pact. At the time, the three countries affirmed that, through joint activities, they would work to strengthen their defence capabilities and the cohesion of their armed forces.
The announced areas of cooperation include deepening the partnership in defence industries, as well as developing joint production and technologies. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Defence Pact in Mecca on 7 August last year. The pact is based on considering any armed attack against one of the signatory countries an attack against all three countries.
