The Kabul Tribune (KT) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday welcomed an agreement by Türkiye and Pakistan to provide military support to Saudi Arabia under a new collective defense arrangement involving the three countries.
Speaking to reporters at the White House before departing
for Texas, Trump was asked about the decision by Türkiye and Pakistan to send
military forces to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Defense Alliance.
“I think they want to help Saudi Arabia, and I think that’s
great,” Trump said.
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed Monday to
immediately implement collective defense commitments and take steps to ensure
the rapid deployment of agreed military forces and capabilities to Saudi
Arabia, according to a statement issued after a meeting of the Strategic
Political and Defense Committee of Mecca.
The agreement calls for the countries to strengthen military
readiness and integration and enhance their collective ability to confront and
counter threats.
Türkiye to Submit Defense Pact to Parliament
Türkiye’s government will submit the defense agreement with
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to parliament within days, potentially clearing the
way for a ratification process that could allow the deployment of Turkish
troops to Saudi Arabia, a spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development, or AK,
Party said Wednesday.
Omer Celik, speaking to reporters, said the agreement would
be submitted to parliament in the coming days and that the ratification process
would then be completed through a parliamentary decision.
Celik described the agreement as a regional peace initiative
and said it was not intended to replace NATO or any other alliance to which
Türkiye belongs.
“This has no function whatsoever as an alternative to NATO,
of which we are a member, or to other places,” Celik said. Instead, he said,
the arrangement would play a complementary role in efforts to maintain regional
and global peace.
Celik also indicated that the defense arrangement could
eventually be expanded to include other countries.
“These types of security agreements and alliances mature
over time by engaging with other states within their own principles and
frameworks,” he said.
