Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday submitted the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan on August 7, to parliament for ratification.
Burhanettin Duran, head of Türkiye's Presidential Directorate of Communications, said the submission of the bill to ratify the agreement marked an important step toward institutionalizing strategic cooperation among the three brotherly countries.
"This strategic partnership between our countries aims to strengthen collective deterrence, enhance joint defense capabilities, and protect security and stability in our region," Duran said.
In a statement posted on his X account, Duran explained that the Makkah Agreement, based on the principle that countries in the region should assume responsibility for regional affairs, reflects a shared commitment to prioritizing security and solidarity.
"We hope that the parliamentary ratification process will benefit our country and our brotherly nations, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks in advance to all political parties and members of parliament who will contribute to this process," he added.
Parliamentary sources said Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who is currently on an official visit to Kyrgyzstan, would refer the bill to the Foreign Affairs Committee upon his return.
The committee, chaired by former Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, will discuss the legislation before it is submitted to a plenary session for ratification.
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement contains several key provisions, including one stipulating that an attack on any signatory country is considered an attack on all three, similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Other provisions cover joint weapons production, technology transfers between defense industry companies, military training, joint exercises, specialized military personnel development, intelligence sharing and counterterrorism cooperation.
On the eve of the bill's submission to parliament, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed regional security issues.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, the two ministers focused during a telephone call on Monday on Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In a related development, President Erdogan strongly condemned the Houthi attacks, noting that the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh had killed several people, including Umrah pilgrims, and left hundreds wounded.
Speaking at a meeting with village heads at the presidential complex late Monday, Erdogan said the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, which he described as a friend and brotherly nation, had significantly heightened tensions in the region.
