Türkiye's Parliament to debate Mecca defense agreement approval this week

A bill on ratifying the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense, signed by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on August 7, is on the agenda of Türkiye's Grand National Assembly, which will begin its work on Tuesday, November 3. The bill was approved by the Foreign Affairs Commission last week.

Türkiye's Grand National Assembly will debate the bill approving the ratification of the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense between the Republic of Türkiye, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The General Assembly will begin its weekly proceedings on Tuesday, November 3. The day on which the bill will be considered has not yet been announced.

Submitted to the Parliament Speaker's Office on October 20, the bill was approved on October 27 by the Foreign Affairs Commission with the votes of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The bill must also be approved by the General Assembly to become law. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to brief the General Assembly on the agreement.

An attack on one will be considered an attack on all three

The agreement was signed on August 7, 2026, at a summit held at the Safa Palace in Mecca by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The 16-article text defines the three countries as “core parties” and considers an externally sourced armed attack against one party to be an attack against all parties.

The agreement also provides for cooperation in combating terrorism, joint training and exercises, joint production and technology sharing in the defense industry, intelligence sharing and logistical support. The parties will not be able to withdraw from the agreement during its first 10 years, while the accession of new members will depend on the consent of the core parties. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have completed their domestic approval processes.

Mekke'deki imza töreninde üç ülkenin liderleri ve heyetleri (7 Ağustos 2026)

Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gümrükçü told the commission that the agreement was entirely defense-focused and targeted no country. Commission Chair Fuat Oktay also emphasized that the agreement was not an alternative to NATO. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani announced that talks on Syria's participation in the agreement were ongoing.

Turkish Red Crescent bill and budget marathon

The General Assembly will also continue deliberations on the Turkish Red Crescent bill. The bill, whose first three articles have been approved, makes the Turkish Red Crescent the sole authorized organization for international Red Crescent and Red Cross aid arriving in Türkiye.

The 2027 budget discussions will continue in the Planning and Budget Commission. The commission will consider the budgets of the Ministry of Industry and Technology on Monday, November 2; the Ministry of Labor and Social Security on Tuesday, November 3; the Ministry of Trade on Wednesday, November 4; the Ministry of Treasury and Finance on Thursday, November 5; and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Friday, November 6. Parliamentary group meetings of political parties will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Türkiye's Parliament to debate Mecca defense agreement approval this week