Makkah Joint Defense Agreement not a military axis or sectarian bloc, Saudi official says

RIYADH — The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan is not intended to establish a military axis or sectarian bloc and is not linked to nuclear ambitions or an arms race, Saudi Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy Amb. Dr. Rayed Krimly said on Friday.Krimly said the agreement is focused on building sustainable defense capabilities and does not come at the expense of Saudi Arabia’s strong and strategic relations with its Gulf, Arab and international partners.He stressed that the pact does not threaten the security of any country in the region and should not be viewed as an escalation of tensions between any two states.Krimly also clarified that the agreement does not supersede or replace existing bilateral or multilateral agreements involving Saudi Arabia, Türkiye or Pakistan, including their agreements with other countries and international organizations.He said the agreement reflects the depth and longstanding nature of strategic relations among the three countries, which have developed over several decades.Krimly revealed that the pact was the culmination of detailed negotiations conducted over a number of years.Under the agreement, the three countries will develop joint defense capabilities, strengthen strategic deterrence, enhance readiness, and further develop and integrate their respective defense capabilities to jointly address threats to their security."Any external armed attack against one of the three countries will be regarded as an attack against all three," Krimly said.Earlier Friday, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement during the Makkah Joint Defense Summit at Al-Safa Palace.The agreement was signed by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.A joint statement said the agreement builds on longstanding historical ties, Islamic solidarity, shared strategic interests and close defense cooperation among the three countries.The pact aims to strengthen joint deterrence against aggression while expanding defense cooperation and contributing to security, peace and stability in the region and globally.