Turkiye's parliament has formally ratified a defence pact with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The agreement includes a collective defence clause, committing the NATO member state to provide assistance in the event of an attack.
The parliamentary vote on Thursday followed continued debate among lawmakers. The session had been adjourned on Wednesday after the adoption of the first article of the bill.
The agreement ultimately passed with 279 votes in favour and 119 against. A total of 398 out of the chamber's 592 lawmakers participated in the vote.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif originally signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in August. The text was subsequently submitted to the Turkish parliament for approval last month.
The pact contains 16 articles. Under Article 1, the signatories agree to use all necessary means to eliminate threats to one another's territorial integrity if invoked.
Article 2 states that if any party faces an armed attack or military aggression by another country or group, the signatories must immediately provide assistance utilising the full range of available mutual measures. This provision mirrors Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Critics have questioned whether Turkiye might face a conflict of interest due to its simultaneous membership in NATO and the Mecca pact. Turkish officials have dismissed these concerns.
Other provisions in the agreement commit member states to increase defence industry cooperation, conduct joint training, pursue technological innovation, and share logistics and intelligence resources. The pact binds member countries for 10 years, after which they may withdraw, and leaves open the possibility for other nations to join with the approval of existing members. Syria's government has already expressed interest.
The ratification comes as Riyadh continues to face attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis. The region is also affected by cross-border tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted a drone in the region of Medina. Riyadh has previously accused the Houthis of targeting Mecca and Medina, an accusation the group rejects.
Despite the ratification, analysts note that deploying Turkish troops to Saudi Arabia is not guaranteed and would require further legislative processes. Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler stated in October that the scope of potential support would be determined after ratification. Turkish media reported Guler as saying that the country does not foresee entering into any conflict with the Houthis, and that support would instead focus on strengthening deterrence.
