Turkish Parliament Ratifies Defence Pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

Turkey’s parliament approved the Makkah/Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan by 279 votes to 119. The pact provides for collective assistance after an armed attack, while questions about its scope, oversight and possible troop deployments remain part of the debate.

• Turkish lawmakers approved the agreement 279–119, with 398 of the chamber’s 592 members participating in the vote.· 2 sources
• The agreement sets out collective assistance in response to an external armed attack; the scope of assistance is to be determined by the signatories.· 1 source
• The pact also covers defence cooperation, including military coordination, joint training, logistics and intelligence sharing.· 1 source
• Turkish opposition lawmakers raised concerns about oversight, the pact’s reach and possible conflicts with Turkey’s other international commitments.· 2 sources
• The reports say ratification does not itself settle whether Turkish forces will be deployed; the agreement allows withdrawal after ten years, and other legislative steps may be needed for a deployment.· 1 source