Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan defense pact committee to meet Oct. 5

Key facts

• A committee of the Mecca defense pact will meet in Riyadh on Monday, October 5.
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will attend.
• The meeting will address regional security threats and the alliance's institutionalization.
• The pact treats an attack on any member as an attack on all.
• The committee will discuss recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
• The pact was signed by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia on August 7.

A committee of the Mecca defense pact, established between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, is set to convene in Riyadh on Monday, October 5. The meeting will include Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, along with officials from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

The agenda includes discussions on recent regional developments, particularly the surge in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and the progress in institutionalizing the alliance. The pact, signed on August 7, treats an attack on any one of the three parties as an attack on all.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that the committee would discuss Iran's suggestion for political engagement with Yemen's Houthis following their attacks. The meeting aims to strengthen the alliance's joint deterrence, crisis prevention, and coordinated response capabilities to regional threats. The Turkish foreign ministry emphasized that provocative actions targeting holy sites are unacceptable and highlighted the importance of freedom and security of navigation on international trade routes.