Turkey Says Pakistan-Saudi Defense Pact Resembles NATO’s Article 5

Ankara (Terror Monitor) — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says the mutual defense agreement between Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is technically similar to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

Fidan said Saturday that the agreement is not directed against Iran or any other country, but is intended to establish a broad security commitment among the three member states.

He said that if any one of the three countries comes under attack, the members will consult with one another to determine the scale, nature and form of assistance required. He added that no country would be considered a threat unless it launches an attack against one of the members.

Fidan also said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to expand the agreement to other countries in the region, adding that Egypt could join once certain technical issues are resolved.

According to Fidan, negotiations to finalize the agreement had continued for more than two and a half years. A ministerial committee modeled on NATO’s structure will be established, while the alliance’s general secretariat will be based in Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey signed the “Makkah Mutual Defense Agreement” on Friday, under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries will be considered an attack against all three.