Turkey and Pakistan agree on rapid military deployment to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca Pact

Turkey and Pakistan have agreed on a framework for the rapid deployment of military forces to Saudi Arabia in the event of a threat, as part of a recently signed defence agreement known as the Mecca Pact, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.

Under the pact, each country could request that forces be sent to its territory in the event of an external threat, although the agreement does not specify the size of the contingent or the number of troops, the newspaper said, citing two officials familiar with the talks.

Under the agreement, Riyadh would grant Ankara and Islamabad “preferential treatment” in the allocation of defence contracts, according to the officials.

The pact was signed in early November in Riyadh during a visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but it was not announced until Monday, a move that was interpreted as a reaction to Israel’s attack on Qatar in September, which increased concerns about the security of Gulf states.

Turkish officials said the pact also includes the participation of two countries with nuclear capability, a formulation that was seen as a signal to potential aggressors.

The agreement provides that the country requesting assistance must present a request and make an assessment of the situation, while the sending countries would decide on the type of force and the number of troops.

Officials did not say whether the pact would cover the deployment of forces inside Saudi territory, in the event of an attack on the Kingdom, or whether it would also include the deployment of troops outside the country.

The Financial Times said that the pact does not commit the countries to a mutual defence clause similar to NATO’s Article 5, but rather to a framework for cooperation in the event of a threat.

The agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and was witnessed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Officials said the pact also includes the participation of two countries with nuclear capability, a formulation that was seen as a signal to potential aggressors.

The agreement provides that the country requesting assistance must present a request and make an assessment of the situation, while the sending countries would decide on the type of force and the number of troops.

Officials did not say whether the pact would cover the deployment of forces inside Saudi territory, in the event of an attack on the Kingdom, or whether it would also include the deployment of troops outside the country.

The Financial Times said that the pact does not commit the countries to a mutual defence clause similar to NATO’s Article 5, but rather to a framework for cooperation in the event of a threat.