Turkey, Pakistan And Saudi Arabia Hold Inaugural Meeting Of Defense Alliance

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) This is according to a Ukrinform correspondent.

“By holding today's inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee of the Meccan Defense Alliance, we have demonstrated that we are ready to assume responsibility for regional peace, security and stability. We will continue to ensure close cooperation and coordination with friendly countries, particularly Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said after the meeting.

According to Fidan, the meeting in Istanbul resulted in an agreement on the alliance's official name - the Meccan Defense Alliance - as well as its organizational structure.

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“The Meccan Defense Alliance agreement provides for the establishment of a secretariat. The secretariat is planned to be headquartered in Riyadh. There was also broad agreement that the first secretary general would be a representative of Pakistan,” Fidan said.

During the inaugural meeting, the participants also preliminarily outlined further steps toward institutionalizing the alliance.

Fidan stressed that the Meccan Defense Alliance is based on the principles of international law, is not directed against any particular state, and is open to all countries in the region that adhere to these principles.

At the same time, he added that the Meccan Defense Alliance neither cancels nor replaces Turkey's commitments under NATO and other alliances and agreements.

The Istanbul meeting was attended by the foreign and defense ministers and chiefs of general staff of the three member states.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, earlier this month, Pakistan, Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a collective defense agreement. Under the agreement, an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all members of the pact.

Photo via AA

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