Turkey Approves Mecca Defence Pact With Saudi Arabia, Pakistan

Turkey’s parliament approved ratification of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan by 279 votes to 119, endorsing a pact that treats an external armed attack on any member as an attack on all three. The vote was reported on November 5, completing Turkey’s legislative step toward the agreement’s entry into force. The pact also commits the three countries to deepen military cooperation, including intelligence sharing and defence-industry ties. Its stated framework provides for assistance to be determined through consultation among members; ratification does not itself authorize Turkish troops to deploy. Turkish officials have said any deployment would require a separate parliamentary mandate. The agreement will formally enter into force after the final ratification instrument is deposited with its secretariat. Reporting says Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have completed their ratification processes, but the supplied accounts do not confirm that the final instrument has been deposited. The pact was signed in Mecca in August by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It...