Çiftçi proposes trilateral interior ministers’ meeting with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi hosted Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef Al Saud in Ankara. Çiftçi proposed a trilateral meeting of interior ministers, including Pakistan, to extend the spirit of the Makkah Common Defense Agreement to internal security.

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi met with Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef Al Saud in Ankara. During the meeting at the ministry, the two sides discussed security cooperation between the two countries, regional developments, efforts to combat terrorism and organized crime, law enforcement training, migration and border management.

Offering condolences for those killed in attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia, Çiftçi said, "We view Saudi Arabia as a state with which we share deep historical relations and longstanding fraternal ties. In order to further advance our strategic partnership, which has taken concrete form particularly through the Turkish-Saudi Coordination Council, we are ready to cooperate in every area within our ministry’s remit."

Minister Çiftçi with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef Al Saud

"We cannot accept the attacks"

Çiftçi conveyed Türkiye’s position on the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, the Iran-centered tensions and the attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. "We followed with deep concern the tensions that began with the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and escalated as Iran targeted countries in the region," Çiftçi said, stressing that attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s security and economic infrastructure could not be accepted.

The spirit of the Makkah Agreement in internal security

Drawing attention to the importance of the Makkah Common Defense Agreement for regional security cooperation, Çiftçi said the agreement was based on the principles of regional ownership, cooperation-based security and inclusiveness. Çiftçi proposed, "If you also deem it appropriate, we can consult with Pakistan in the coming period and hold a trilateral meeting as the interior ministers of the three countries. Through this initiative, we can further develop our framework for cooperation in areas such as combating organized crime, new-generation criminal organizations and narcotics offenses, preventing the financing of terrorism, and border security."

Çiftçi said they had dismantled 669 organized crime gangs this year. He also said that, in addition to the security and counter-narcotics agreement signed with Saudi Arabia in 2005, the Law Enforcement Training Cooperation Agreement was under evaluation. He added that residence permits for Saudi citizens legally residing in Türkiye were issued for the maximum period allowed under the legislation, while those with eight or more years of legal residence were directed toward indefinite long-term residence permits. Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud said the two countries had longstanding bonds of friendship and brotherhood, and stressed that the Makkah Common Defense Agreement would produce positive results for the participating countries.

Photos: Anadolu Agency

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Çiftçi proposes trilateral interior ministers’ meeting with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan