RIYADH: Defence chiefs and chiefs of general staff from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and agreed to deepen military cooperation under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.
The meeting was held in Riyadh on Friday as the three countries of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement — the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Türkiye reviewed the security situation facing Saudi Arabia and discussed measures to strengthen coordination among their armed forces.
Security Review
The military leaders strongly condemned attacks targeting the holy city of Makkah as well as civilian and economic infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
They praised the Saudi Armed Forces for what they described as their vigilance and professionalism in protecting the Kingdom and its people.
The meeting comes as the three countries move to translate the commitments of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, signed in August, into practical military cooperation. The agreement provides for stronger collective security and stipulates that an armed attack against any of the three signatories would be regarded as an attack against all.
Closer Coordination
The defence chiefs discussed expanding intelligence sharing, military coordination and the integration of defence capabilities to strengthen deterrence and collective defence.
They also highlighted the longstanding relations and mutual trust between the three countries and their armed forces, saying the Riyadh meeting demonstrated the strength of their defence partnership.
The participants reaffirmed their determination to defend Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity and to begin implementing the agreement’s commitments through effective military cooperation.
The meeting followed discussions among the foreign ministers of the three countries in New York, where they also condemned attacks targeting Makkah and Saudi civilian and economic facilities.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Makkah on August 7, committing to strengthen collective security, defence cooperation and regional stability.
