The Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission launched proceedings for approval of a bill on Tuesday on the Mecca Joint Defense Alliance, a pact Türkiye formed with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in August that is under the spotlight after Houthis in Yemen stepped up attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Opposition to the pact has expressed reservations about the alliance based on the defense agreement, especially regarding the clause that views an attack on one party as an attack on all and thus seemingly enabling the dispatch of Turkish troops to other countries. The government insists that the alliance is strictly defensive and would not involve attacks on third countries.
After talks at the committee, the bill will be referred to the General Assembly of Parliament for a final voting process.
Former Vice President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) lawmaker Fuat Oktay, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, made an opening speech at the committee’s meeting on Tuesday.
Oktay said developments in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and tensions in the Caucasus, the Balkans and North Africa directly affect regional security.
He said the agreement to be discussed represents a concrete and highly significant step toward strengthening peace by demonstrating regional ownership and enhancing deterrence across the region. He described the establishment of a collective deterrence shield in the Middle East through the Mecca deal as a noteworthy development.
He emphasized the importance of the talks held between Turkish, Saudi and Pakistani officials in Tehran on Monday. “The agreements our country has signed and become a party to are not aimed at aggression or expansionism, nor are they alliances designed to form a bloc against third countries. On the contrary, our country is party to defense agreements that aim to enhance deterrence, strengthen our region, and promote peace and stability. In this respect, the Mecca agreement is valuable because it does not propose an exclusive security architecture and allows other actors that share its vision of regional peace and stability to join.” He stressed the importance of ensuring that the agreement’s expansion process does not allow for an uncontrolled mechanism.
“It is naturally of great importance that the alliance’s growth and the admission of new members remain subject to the approval, consent and strategic screening of the core parties and, consequently, our country,” he said.
Noting that the agreement establishes deterrence at the highest level while showing absolute respect for the sovereignty of the participating countries, their international obligations and their constitutional processes, Oktay said: “Rather than collective defense provisions taking effect automatically and mechanically, it appears that the underlying principle is for every step to be implemented within the framework of the parties’ own constitutional obligations, national legislation and the decisions of their competent authorities. In this regard, it is important to activate consultation mechanisms at the highest level and seek a common understanding.
“This alliance architecture can be said to rest on three main pillars: collective defense, a determined fight against terrorism and the development of domestic capabilities in the defense industry. Each of these areas is of vital importance both for our country and for the future of our region. Essentially, it should not be viewed as an isolated text.”
Following Oktay’s remarks, main opposition New Party (YP) Eskişehir lawmaker Utku Çakırözer said the agreement should also be discussed by Parliament’s National Defense Committee. In response, Oktay said they had written to the relevant committee asking it to conduct a review and submit a report, but were informed that “no review or reporting would be carried out.”
The meeting continued with a presentation on the agreement by Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gümrükçü. "The Mecca agreement is not only an extension of the special friendly relations between the three countries, but also a concrete product of the regional ownership increasingly needed in our region," Gümrükçü told the committee. He said Saudi Arabia and Pakistan had completed their domestic ratification procedures and submitted the required official notifications.
He said the agreement marked an initial step toward establishing a regional security framework based on cooperation and collective defense, adding that the three countries aimed to take responsibility for addressing regional challenges rather than waiting for solutions from outside the region. Gümrükçü also said the framework was intended to contribute not only to the security of the three signatories but also to that of the wider region by strengthening dialogue and cooperation based on mutual trust and promoting lasting stability.
He stressed that the agreement was entirely defensive in nature and did not target any country. He said it was open to all regional countries that respect international law, including the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, the prohibition of the use of force except in self-defense, the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in internal affairs.
"The agreement envisions integration rather than bloc-building in the region, embracing an inclusive rather than divisive vision," he added.
Gümrükçü said the agreement envisaged strengthening collective deterrence, holding regular consultations on international security issues, and improving interoperability between the countries' armed forces through personnel exchanges, joint training programs, and military exercises.
It also provides for closer defense industry cooperation, including joint production and technology sharing, stronger joint counterterrorism efforts, and logistical support between the parties in implementing the agreement, he said. The deputy foreign minister emphasized that the agreement would neither replace nor undermine Türkiye's obligations under its existing alliances and agreements.
He said the initiative was expected to complement Türkiye's participation in multilateral platforms, particularly NATO, by contributing to security and stability across the broader Middle East and supporting European security in light of the interconnected nature of the two regions.