The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) has approved the bill ratifying the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, moving the trilateral defence pact one step closer to final parliamentary approval.

The 16-article agreement was approved by majority vote during a committee meeting chaired by Fuat Oktay, an Ankara lawmaker from the Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

The agreement aims to establish a permanent framework for defence, security and strategic cooperation among the three countries.

"A step that will increase deterrence"

Speaking at the committee meeting, Oktay said global geopolitical changes, regional instability and growing security challenges required stronger cooperation among countries in the region.

Referring to tensions in the Middle East, including developments around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, Oktay said these developments were affecting not only regional security but also global peace and stability.

"All of these developments, along with the tensions concentrated around Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and its surroundings, clearly threaten not only regional security but also global peace and stability," Oktay said.

He added that conflicts and attacks targeting energy infrastructure were disrupting global supply chains and increasing production costs worldwide.

Describing the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement as an important development, Oktay said:

"The Mecca Agreement on Joint Defence between the Republic of Türkiye, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia constitutes a concrete and highly significant step reflecting our regional ownership and our determination to strengthen peace by increasing deterrence in our geography."

Oktay stressed that the agreement should not be interpreted as an alliance directed against third countries.

"Türkiye is a party to defence agreements that aim to increase deterrence, strengthen our region and contribute to peace and stability. The Mecca Agreement is valuable because it does not propose an exclusive security architecture and allows the participation of other actors that share a vision of regional peace and stability," he said.

"The agreement does not target any country"

Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gümrükçü also briefed lawmakers about the agreement, describing it as an extension of Türkiye's longstanding relations with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Gümrükçü said the three countries had chosen to take responsibility for regional security instead of waiting for solutions imposed from outside the region.

"The three countries that are parties to this agreement have taken the first step toward a regional security architecture based on cooperation and collective defence by assuming responsibility rather than waiting for solutions to these problems from outside," he said.

He emphasised that the agreement was based on dialogue, mutual trust and cooperation.

"The Mecca Agreement, which is completely defence-oriented, does not target any country. It aims to ensure regional peace and security and is open to all regional countries that respect international law, particularly the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-use of force except in legitimate self-defence, and non-interference in internal affairs," Gümrükçü said.

Next step: General Assembly vote

The agreement includes provisions for cooperation in defence industries, intelligence sharing, counterterrorism efforts, joint military exercises, personnel exchanges and strategic consultations.

Its collective defence clause states that an armed attack against one member would be considered an attack against all parties, with assistance provided in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognises the right of self-defence.

Following approval by the Foreign Affairs Committee, the bill will now proceed to the General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament (TBMM) for debate and a final vote. No date has yet been set for the parliamentary vote. The agreement will enter into force once all three signatories complete their respective domestic ratification procedures.(ILKHA)