Mecca defense pact mirrors NATO Article 5: Turkish FM

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday described the newly signed Mecca Joint Defense Agreement as technically identical to NATO's Article 5 collective defense mechanism, saying the trilateral pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan establishes a framework for mutual protection without targeting third parties that refrain from aggression. Speaking at Anadolu Agency's Editor's Desk program, Fidan emphasized that the agreement represents a "historic day" for regional security architecture under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership, noting that preparations had been underway for nearly two years and eight months. "There is no common threat that we have put in writing," he said, adding that the signatories — none of which are expansionist powers — do not seek confrontation with countries that do not attack them.

Collective defense mechanism

Fidan drew direct parallels between the Mecca accord and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's founding principle, explaining that both frameworks allow members to benefit from each other's protective capabilities. "We are now in solidarity with each other," he said, describing how the alliance increases deterrence while demonstrating that signatories "will not pose a threat to each other's security, but instead guarantee each other's security." The minister noted that NATO's core deterrence rests on the message that an attack on one member triggers the military power of the entire alliance, a principle the new pact emulates to prevent conflict and enable economic development.

He emphasized that violence, war and bloodshed are among the main factors preventing regional development, adding that the alliance creates an environment where countries can address political and economic problems without disruption. NATO has only taken collective military action in limited cases, including Afghanistan and Kosovo, Fidan noted, stressing that the alliance's primary purpose is ensuring potential adversaries understand the consequences of attacking a member. This understanding prevents conflict and allows nations to pursue development, he said.

Asked about operational triggers, Fidan explained that the text contains general commitments whose practical implementation would depend on discussions and decisions by relevant bodies. A country under threat would request specific assistance, determining for itself the type of support needed, ranging from intelligence and logistics to ammunition or military units depending on the scale of the threat, he said. The alliance will maintain a political and military committee comprising foreign and defense ministers and chiefs of general staff, similar to NATO structures, with a secretariat to be established subsequently to implement decisions.

Regional ownership

Fidan stressed that the initiative prioritizes regional ownership of security issues rather than reliance on external powers. "External hegemons coming into the region do not solve the problems; they make them more acute, and the cost becomes very high," he stated, arguing that institutionalized cooperation among regional states offers a more sustainable path to stability. He said regional countries should develop more institutional mechanisms through which they can ensure their own security, economic stability, development and prosperity.

Citing the European Union's development under the American security umbrella, Fidan said Türkiye's vision similarly seeks to reduce instability and foster economic integration through indigenous security structures. He emphasized that lasting economic integration requires security and mutual trust, noting that Ankara seeks to make regional ties more structured and permanent rather than leaving success to chance. "We should not leave success in foreign policy or any other area to chance. We need to institutionalize it and make it continuous," he said.

Fidan described Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as the "core countries" of the initiative, adding that expansion beyond the three founding members remains possible under Erdogan's vision. "Under our president's vision, we should not remain limited to three countries. We should grow and, if necessary, bring all countries under this umbrella," he said. The Mecca Agreement represents the most important step toward bringing lasting stability to a region that has experienced instability over the past century since the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire, he added.

Defense industry and other issues

The alliance will prioritize defense industry collaboration among its founding members, Fidan said, revealing that this issue dominated discussions among leaders during Saturday's signing ceremony. "The issue discussed most among the leaders yesterday was cooperation in the defense industry and countries benefiting from each other's technologies," he stated, adding that the pact would eventually cover interoperability, joint training, logistics, threat assessments and intelligence sharing. Fidan acknowledged that the initiative remains at an early stage and will not be easy to establish, but said Türkiye has already completed the necessary conceptual and institutional preparations.

Fidan also addressed other regional matters during the interview, stating that Türkiye does not recognize the Greek Cypriot Administration as a state and calling for continued international political isolation of Israel. "We do not recognize the Greek Cypriot side as a state. If you do not recognize the rights of Turkish Cypriots, then I do not recognize your statehood," he said, noting that peace and stability on the island are due to the presence of Turkish soldiers. On the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan remarked that when conflicts extend into wars of attrition affecting national survival, combatants employ whatever means necessary, adding that "when the war of attrition turns into attrition beyond the front lines, the issue becomes whether a nation will continue to exist."