Turkey is seeking to join the defense alliance between Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan, according to people familiar with the matter, paving the way for a new security alignment that could shift the balance of power in the Middle East and beyond.
The deal, initially signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September, states that “any aggression” against one country is considered an attack on all. That mirrors Article 5 in NATO, of which Turkey is the largest military after the US. The talks are at an advanced stage and a deal is very likely, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The expanded alliance would make sense because Turkey’s interests increasingly overlap with those of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in South Asia, the Middle East and even Africa, said the people. Turkey also sees the pact as a way of strengthening security and deterrents when there are questions over the reliability of the US, which has strong military ties with all three countries, and President Donald Trump’s commitment to NATO.
Saudi Arabia brings financial clout, Pakistan has nuclear capability, ballistic missiles and manpower, while Turkey has the military experience and has developed a defense industry, according to Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist with Ankara-based think tank TEPAV.
“As the US prioritizes its own interests and that of Israel in the region, changing dynamics and fallout from regional conflicts are prompting countries to develop new mechanisms to identify friends and foes,” Ozcan said.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry declined to comment. Pakistan’s Information Ministry didn’t respond to a request for a comment. Saudi Arabian authorities weren’t immediately available to respond to a request for comment during the weekend in the kingdom.
New Era
Should Turkey ink its membership in the alliance, it would underscore the new era in relations with Saudi Arabia as the erstwhile rival leaders of the Sunni Muslim world. After turning the page on years of rancor, the countries are working to develop economic and defense cooperation. They held their first ever naval meeting in Ankara this week, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry.
They also share long-standing concern over Shiite-dominated Iran, though prefer engagement with Tehran rather than force. The Turks and Saudis also back a stable Sunni-led state in Syria and statehood for Palestinians.
Turkey and Pakistan, meanwhile, have long enjoyed close military relations. Ankara is building corvette warships for Islamabad’s navy and has upgraded dozens of its F-16s. Turkey is already sharing drone technology with both countries, and now wants them to join its Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet program, Bloomberg reported earlier.
The trilateral defense talks come in the wake of a cease-fire between Pakistan and India that ended a four-day military clash between the nuclear-armed neighbors in May.
Tensions are also high between Pakistan and its northern neighbor, Afghanistan, due to a series of clashes after Islamabad accused the Taliban of hosting hostile militant groups. Turkey and Qatar mediated talks to end the fighting, but they ended inconclusively.
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Bloomberg news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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