Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Fuad Ogktay announced on Tuesday that the bill ratifying the "Mecca Pact for Joint Defense" was approved by majority vote in the committee, stressing that this pact is not a substitute for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The Anadolu Agency quoted Ogktay as telling journalists after the committee’s approval of the bill on ratifying the agreement that the committee’s discussions were fruitful, noting that all participants presented their supportive and opposing views, and that representatives of the relevant ministries and institutions clearly answered all questions.
Ogktay added that the agreement would not affect the territorial integrity, sovereignty, or any existing agreements of the three countries, stating that there would be no changes in the legal or sovereign aspects of foreign and defense policies, nor would it impact Turkey’s unity in foreign policy.
Ogktay emphasized that the goal here is deterrence, not attack, expressing hope that the agreement would lead to peace and prosperity in the region and that its implementation would proceed in that direction. The Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee had earlier approved a bill authorizing the ratification of the "Mecca Pact," signed by Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, paving the way for it to be presented to the Grand National Assembly.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Joint Defense Agreement in Mecca on August 7, aiming to enhance joint deterrence under a vision adopted by Ankara, Islamabad, and Riyadh to support regional security and stability.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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