Significant progress has been made in implementing the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Lieutenant General (retired) Noman Mahmood has been given the responsibility of the first Secretary General under the agreement.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the central secretariat to be established for the agreement will be in Saudi Arabia. It will be headed by a Secretary General from Pakistan for the initial three years.
This progress has come at a time when the three countries are taking steps to transform defence cooperation into a regular institutional system. The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on August 7 in Mecca.
The agreement aims to strengthen mutual defence cooperation, security and regional stability among the three countries. It aims to strengthen mutual defence capabilities and joint preparedness against potential threats.
An important clause of the agreement states that an armed attack against one of the parties will be considered an attack against all parties. This clause has been included as a basic principle of collective defence cooperation between the three countries.
The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee was also held in Istanbul on August 31 to advance the Mecca Agreement. The meeting was attended by top political, defence and military officials from the three countries.
The meeting discussed activating the institutional structure of the agreement and further organising mutual defence cooperation. The decision to establish a permanent secretariat in Saudi Arabia is also part of this process.
The three countries have also agreed to increase cooperation in the fields of defence industry and advanced technology. The possibilities of expanding joint production, defence technology and contacts between the armed forces are also being considered.
According to Pakistani officials, this agreement is not against any specific country but is established to strengthen defence cooperation among the three countries. Under it, there is scope for increasing cooperation on matters of regional peace, stability and common security.
The agreement also provides for future cooperation with other countries and relevant parties who respect international law and believe in the common principles of peaceful cooperation.
After the appointment of the Secretary General, the phase of making the administrative and institutional structure of the agreement more functional will begin. Further progress is expected in various areas of defence cooperation and joint initiatives in the upcoming meetings.
The Mecca Defence Agreement is an attempt to bring the existing defence ties of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey into a systematic framework. Its practical effects will depend on the procedures to be decided in the upcoming stages and the pace of cooperation between the three countries.
