Erdoğan: Mecca Joint Defense Agreement targets no country, open to other friendly nations

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday that the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed earlier Friday between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan targets no country and remains open to participation of other friendly nations seeking peace, prosperity and stability in the region.

In a post on the Turkish social platform NSosyal, Erdoğan said the agreement, based on the principle of collective deterrence, would strengthen security and defense cooperation, joint defense industry projects and counterterrorism efforts.

Türkiye, he added, would maintain its principled stance in favor of resolving conflicts and crises through dialogue and diplomacy based on respect for international law.

He said the agreement also reaffirms the right to self-defense as defined under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

"The agreement does not target any country and is open to the participation of all brotherly countries seeking peace, prosperity and stability in our region," Erdoğan said.

Türkiye, he added, would firmly maintain its principled stance in favor of resolving conflicts and crises through dialogue and diplomacy, based on respect for international law and in line with its vision of regional ownership.

Erdogan said he traveled to Mecca earlier Friday at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, where he met with the Saudi crown prince and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

"On this occasion, as the three countries, we signed a Joint Defense Agreement," he said.

Erdoğan expressed hope that the visit, consultations and agreement would benefit the entire region.