Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has expressed hope that Egypt can join a defence pact designed along NATO lines and involving Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Fidan told the Anadolu news agency that Egypt is a "natural partner in all things" and has acted as though it were already a member of the alliance.
The three countries signed the agreement on Friday (7 August) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The pact, also known as the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, is designed to stabilise the region, which has been disrupted by the impact of regional conflict.
Fidan said there are some technical issues that still need to be resolved before Egypt joins, but there is no reason for the country not to be part of the pact. He also emphasised that the Mecca Pact does not target any particular country and does not include any written reference to common threats.
Fidan described the agreement as "the most important step towards achieving long-term stability in this region" and suggested that the alliance could expand further. "Based on our president's vision, we should not be limited to just three countries. We should develop and, if necessary, embrace all countries under this umbrella," he said.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Friday stated that an attack on any member of the alliance would be considered an attack on all members. The pact was created amid a situation of regional conflict that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea and has involved attacks by Houthi groups in Yemen and drone incidents targeting United States assets.
