ANKARA: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan will establish mechanisms involving senior ministers, conduct joint military exercises and expand defence industry cooperation under a military agreement signed last week, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The three countries signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. They said the agreement provides that an armed attack against any member would be regarded as an attack against all three, similar to NATO’s Article 5 collective defence provision.
At a weekly briefing in Ankara, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said the agreement’s main objective was to place defence and military cooperation between the three countries on a “more institutional and sustainable” footing.
Under the agreement, strategic political and military mechanisms involving defence ministers, foreign ministers and chiefs of general staff or armed forces commanders are expected to be established. The ministry said coordination between the three countries would take place at the highest level.
The ministry said planned joint military exercises would involve land, naval and air forces, as well as air-defence and unmanned systems. The three countries also plan to expand cooperation in the defence industry.
The cooperation is expected to include joint development and production, technology cooperation, and maintenance and logistics support. Unmanned and autonomous systems, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence capabilities are among the areas identified as priorities.
Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army, has said the agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is open to expansion, with Egypt mentioned as a potential participant. Ankara has also said the agreement is not intended to replace existing alliances.
Turkey is also participating in meetings in Jeddah focused on establishing an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea.
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