Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye Set Riyadh Pact Talks

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye are due to meet in Riyadh on Monday, October 5, for talks on regional developments and cooperation under their Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, as tensions involving the Houthis remain high. The meeting is scheduled for the pact’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee; the reports do not establish that the agreement will be activated or that the members will announce a concrete response. Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the delegation would include Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defence Forces and Army Chief Asim Munir, and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. Turkish officials said Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu would travel to Riyadh. The committee is expected to include the three countries’ foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs. The Foreign Office described the agenda as the latest regional developments and ongoing cooperation under the agreement. Turkish officials said Ankara planned to present its view on institutionalizing the alliance and assess regional threats.