Saudi Crown Prince Outlines Defense Pact and Maritime Coalition

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the defense pact linking Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan is intended to strengthen regional stability and coordinate security efforts, while also announcing plans for a separate multinational maritime defense coalition to protect international waterways. He made the remarks during his annual address at the opening of the Shura Council’s session in Riyadh on September 30. The crown prince described the three-country agreement, called the Mecca Defense Pact or Mecca Joint Defense Agreement in the reports, as a way to shield the region from tensions and conflict. He also said Saudi Arabia would establish a maritime coalition to strengthen security and protect common interests in international waterways. The address did not spell out the pact’s practical military commitments or how either initiative would operate. A published analysis says the pact has moved toward institutional development since the three countries agreed to it in August. The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met on September 25, reviewed progress and called for a meeting of their military chiefs, according to that account.