Mecca defence pact bars Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye exit for 10 years

The trilateral pact, the Mecca Defence Alliance, was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on August 7 to set out mutual defence obligations

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August bars any signatory from withdrawing during the first 10 years after the pact takes effect.

 

On Tuesday, the Turkish government submitted the text of the agreement to the country's parliament for consideration. The full text,  accessed and published by Middle East Eye, shows that the pact establishes a framework for collective defence, military assistance, intelligence sharing and defence industry cooperation.

 

Signed in Mecca on August 7 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the pact has no expiry date and will come into force once the final instrument of ratification is deposited with the alliance’s secretariat. 

 

 

"Any 'Party' may withdraw from this Agreement after 10 years have elapsed from its entry into force, by giving the other 'Parties' written notification of its intention to withdraw through diplomatic channels at least three months in advance," the pact reads, according to the full text published by the Middle East Eye. 

 

Armed attack against one member would mean an attack against all

Under Article 1 of the pact, the signatories commit to safeguarding one another’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognised borders. "The 'Parties' shall use all necessary means to eliminate such threat(s) or danger(s)," it states.

 

The pact also states that an externally originating armed attack against any one of the three countries is to be considered an attack against all three. The other signatories are required to provide immediate assistance, using the mutual assistance measures available to them.

 

The agreement does not identify any specific country or region as a threat. It also allows additional countries to join, subject to approval by the founding members.

 

Beyond collective defence, the pact provides for cooperation in defence production, intelligence sharing, logistics, military training and counter-terrorism. It also envisages joint research, development and innovation projects in advanced technology, alongside measures to improve military readiness.

 

The agreement establishes a Strategic Political and Defence Committee, comprising representatives of the three countries, to coordinate cooperation.

 

A secretariat headquartered in Saudi Arabia will support the committee. Its secretary-general will serve a three-year term on a rotational basis among the three countries, with the first appointment to go to a Pakistani national.

 

The pact also sets rules for handling classified information. Such material cannot be shared with states, companies or individuals outside the three signatories, and access is restricted to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis.

 

Amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the three countries’ defence and foreign ministers held an emergency meeting in Riyadh earlier this month. It marked the first time the alliance had been activated since it was signed. During the meeting, the countries agreed to activate collective deterrence measures and rapidly deploy military forces to the Gulf kingdom in response to the attacks. Reuters reported that Turkiye was providing Saudi Arabia with technical and defensive military support, including air defence systems, intelligence, and logistical assistance.