\u2018Agreement envisions integration rather than bloc-building in the region,\u2019 says Turkish deputy foreign minister
\n ankara
\nThe Turkish parliament\u2019s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday approved a bill to ratify the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between T\u00fcrkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
\nThe bill was approved following deliberations during which Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gumrukcu answered lawmakers\u2019 questions about the agreement.
\nSpeaking at the committee meeting, Gumrukcu said the agreement aimed to strengthen regional security through cooperation and collective defence.
\n\u201cThe Makkah agreement is not only an extension of the special friendly relations between the three countries, but also a concrete product of the regional ownership increasingly needed in our region,\u201d Gumrukcu said.
\nHe recalled that the agreement was signed in Makkah on August 7 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
\nHe said Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had completed their domestic ratification procedures and submitted the required official notifications.
\nGumrukcu said the agreement marked an initial step toward establishing a regional security framework based on cooperation and collective defence, adding that the three countries aimed to take responsibility for addressing regional challenges rather than waiting for solutions from outside the region.
\nHe said the framework was intended to contribute not only to the security of the three signatories but also to that of the wider region by strengthening dialogue and cooperation based on mutual trust and promoting lasting stability.
\nDeal \u2018envisions integration rather than bloc-building in region\u2019
\nGumrukcu stressed that the agreement was entirely defensive in nature and did not target any country.
\nHe said it was open to all regional countries that respect international law, including the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the prohibition of the use of force except in self-defense, the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in internal affairs.
\n\u201cThe agreement envisions integration rather than bloc-building in the region, embracing an inclusive rather than divisive vision,\u201d he added.
\nDefence cooperation and NATO commitments
\nGumrukcu said the agreement envisaged strengthening collective deterrence, holding regular consultations on international security issues, and improving interoperability between the countries\u2019 armed forces through personnel exchanges, joint training programs, and military exercises.
\nIt also provides for closer defence industry cooperation, including joint production and technology sharing, stronger joint counterterrorism efforts, and logistical support between the parties in implementing the agreement, he said.
\nThe deputy foreign minister emphasised that the agreement would neither replace nor undermine T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s obligations under its existing alliances and agreements.
\nHe said the initiative was expected to complement T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s participation in multilateral platforms, particularly NATO, by contributing to security and stability across the broader Middle East and supporting European security in light of the interconnected nature of the two regions.
\nForeign Affairs Committee Chairman Fuat Oktay also dismissed concerns that the pact could constitute an alternative to NATO.
\n\u201cThere were questions about whether an alternative to NATO was being created. Absolutely not,\u201d Oktay told reporters.
\n\u201cThis agreement will not undermine the territorial integrity or sovereignty of the three countries, nor any agreements they have concluded to date,\u201d he added.
\nOktay said the pact would not alter the countries\u2019 legal standing, sovereignty or foreign and defense policies, stressing that it would not disrupt the coherence of T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s foreign policy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2018Agreement envisions integration rather than bloc-building in the region,\u2019 says Turkish deputy foreign minister ankara The Turkish parliament\u2019s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday approved a bill to ratify the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between T\u00fcrkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The bill was approved following deliberations during which Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gumrukcu answered lawmakers\u2019 questions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":574680,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-574665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n