New Delhi: The Turkish government Tuesday submitted to its parliament the text of its Mecca Joint Defence agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia for ratification.
Under the pact—the full text of which has been exclusively obtained and published by the Middle East Eye—an externally originating armed attack on any one of the three countries is to be treated as an attack on all of them. The other parties must immediately assist the country under attack, including through military means and capabilities, within the limits of their available resources.
The 16-article agreement signed by the three countries on 7 August was signed in Turkish, Arabic and English.
“If the territorial integrity, sovereignty, or internationally recognised borders of any of the ‘Parties’ are threatened or endangered, the ‘Parties’ shall use all necessary means to eliminate such threat(s) or danger(s),” the treaty’s first article states, as sourced by the Middle East Eye.
The pact also requires the three countries to use “all necessary means” if the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or internationally recognised borders of any parties are threatened. It does not identify any specific country or region as a threat.
As per Article 16 of the pact, the pact will enter into force when the final instrument of ratification is deposited with the secretariat of the ‘Strategic Political and Defence Committee’.
All for one
Article 2 sets out the pact’s central mutual defence commitment. If one signatory/party is subjected to an armed attack or military aggression by another country or group of countries, the others “shall immediately assist” it, using the means of mutual assistance available to them.
The text does not prescribe an automatic military response or a fixed contribution from each country. Instead, the parties are to determine the scope and nature of assistance after an objective assessment of what is required, and cooperate within their available resources, “including military means and capabilities”, it says.
It also says that these provisions are intended to enable the exercise of the right of self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
The Article 1 of the pact not only binds the nations to defend each other against foreign aggression, but also to guard each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and internationally recognised borders. If any of these are threatened or endangered, they must use all necessary means to eliminate the threat or danger.
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Closer defence ties
Article 3 of the agreement calls for closer work across defence and defence-related industry and security, including stronger ties between their armed forces.
Under Article 6, the signatories/parties are to conduct joint training sessions and exercises, and improve how their forces work together in peacetime and wartime.
Article 7 covers sharing defence technology, joint research and development, and production, and training by experts from one country on another’s territory. The parties may also cooperate in other areas agreed among them.
Intelligence sharing is covered by Article 9. The parties are to share secret information through secure channels and stick to tight confidentiality rules
Article 10 provides for reciprocal logistical support, subject to the availability and compatibility of services including weapons, ammunition, fuel, spare parts and other equipment in peace, war or emergencies.
Saudi Arabia to host secretariat
Article 8 establishes a ‘Strategic Political and Defence Committee’ made up of each nation’s foreign and defence ministers and chiefs of general staff. The committee is to meet twice a year, with the host rotating among the parties. The leaders may meet annually if considered necessary.
A secretariat will be established in Saudi Arabia. The secretary-general will be on a rotational basis among the three countries, switching every three years, starting with Pakistan. The committee has left a door open for other nations to join as well, but only if all three founding members consent.
The pact further requires cooperation against terrorism in all its forms and consultations on international security. Disputes over the pact’s terms are expected to be settled through direct talks.
Classified information received under the agreement cannot be shared with states, companies or individuals outside the three parties. Access is restricted to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis, with the appropriate security clearance.
No fixed end-date
The agreement will remain in force indefinitely once it enters into force. No party to the pact can walk away for a decade, however. After the 10-year period, a party may withdraw by giving the others written notice through diplomatic channels at least three months in advance.
Even if a country leaves, projects that started under the pact have to wrap up completely, and obligations to protect classified information will continue.
The agreement will have to be ratified according to each country’s domestic procedures.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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