Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan to hold defence pact talks

Turkey will host Saudi Arabia and Pakistan on Monday for the first ministerial meeting of their new regional defence grouping, Turkish sources said.

The meeting in Istanbul is expected to set up a political and defence strategic committee involving foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed earlier this month, commits the three countries to mutual defence if any of them is attacked.

Turkish foreign and defence ministers and the chief of the general staff will chair Monday's meeting. Pakistan is sending Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the defence minister and the commander of the defence forces. Saudi Arabia will be represented by its foreign minister, defence minister and chief of the general staff, Turkish sources said.

Ankara said the participants plan to discuss international security, defence capabilities, the interoperability of their armed forces and cooperation in the defence industry.

The agreement links Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in a new defence framework. The pact was signed against a backdrop of war between the United States and Iran and attacks in the region by Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.