Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made remarks following the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee, established under the Makkah Mutual Defense Agreement signed between Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Fidan said the agreement had initiated the implementation of a new security and cooperation architecture in the region.
Fidan was joined at the meeting held at Çırağan Palace by National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Chief of the General Staff General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu. Pakistan's delegation included Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir. Saudi Arabia was represented by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman and Chief of the General Staff General Fayyadh Bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili.
The name Makkah Defense Alliance was agreed
Fidan said the meeting addressed concrete steps to be taken to implement the agreement. He announced that work had begun to establish the institutional structure and that the alliance's official name had been set as Makkah Defense Alliance.
Fidan said the secretariat was expected to be established in Riyadh and that an agreement had been reached for the first secretary-general to be Pakistani. He added that preliminary decisions had been made on which steps would be taken and when for the alliance's institutionalization.
Fidan said the alliance was open to the participation of other countries, adding that consultations were needed with both candidate countries and existing members on membership requirements, procedures and standards. He said the alliance had been established with the aim of expanding, but that the foundations laid during its establishment and the institutionalization process needed to be completed on a sound basis.
The alliance's principles
Fidan said the Makkah Defense Alliance was based on the principles of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and noninterference in their internal affairs. He said the structure was not directed against any state and was open to regional countries that adhered to these principles.
Fidan stressed that the alliance did not replace Türkiye's obligations arising from NATO and other alliances, but complemented those structures. He said Türkiye would continue its cooperation with friendly countries, particularly Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Fidan said it had become an urgent necessity for the countries of the region to act together for security, stability, prosperity and lasting peace. He said regional security problems had global effects and added that respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and security would strengthen an environment of trust.
Fidan said that if these principles were sincerely committed to, 85-90 percent of the problems in the region should be resolved. He said that once stability and security were achieved, the peoples of the region could benefit more from existing resources for prosperity and development.
Criticism of the Israeli government
Addressing the assessment that the Israeli government views Türkiye as a strategic threat, Fidan said they were following the rhetoric of Benjamin Netanyahu's government targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and some Turkish officials.
Fidan argued that the Netanyahu administration did not want the establishment of a Palestinian state or an end to the occupation in the region, and said this approach threatened regional and international security. He said the international community needed to assume responsibility in response to this threat.
Grain security in the Black Sea
Responding to a question about the endangerment of navigational safety in the Black Sea and the targeting of commercial vessels, Fidan said the situation was a serious problem not only for Black Sea security but also for global food security.
Fidan said Türkiye was in contact with both sides to resolve problems with the shipment of grain products that need to reach world markets from Russia and Ukraine. He added that, if the conditions were met, they were working on a new arrangement similar to the Grain Agreement.
Fidan also said the Russia-Ukraine War had transformed from a war of attrition into a war of destruction, adding that efforts were continuing to reduce the damage inflicted by the sides on each other and on the region.
At the beginning of his remarks, Fidan expressed his condolences for those who lost their lives after a passenger ship capsized off Girne Port in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
