Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that the joint defence agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye is not directed against any country, describing the pact as an initiative aimed at strengthening peace, stability and security in the region.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the joint defence agreement in Makkah on August 7, committing to closer cooperation in defence and collective security.
Erdoğan said the agreement would strengthen security and defence cooperation among the three countries, promote joint projects in the defence industry and enhance cooperation against terrorism.
According to the Turkish president, the agreement also reaffirms the right of self-defence recognized under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. He said the agreement remains open to other brotherly countries that share the goal of promoting peace, prosperity and stability in the region.
One of the key provisions of the pact is that an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be regarded as an attack against all three, according to reports on the agreement.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the agreement as an important development in the longstanding relations between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. He said defence cooperation would provide a new direction to the partnership among the three countries.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also welcomed the agreement, describing it as an expression of the three countries’ shared political commitment to regional peace and stability.
