Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Chief of Staff of the Pakistani Army, Asim Munir, are expected to attend a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The pact is being drawn up against the backdrop of a deteriorating security situation in the region.<\/p>\n
Briefly about the main points<\/strong><\/p>\n Two regional sources with first-hand knowledge of the situation reported that the agreement was due to be signed, and a Turkish official confirmed this. However, another regional source noted that it was not certain whether the agreement would be announced publicly on the same day.<\/p>\n Sharif arrived in Jeddah on Thursday with Munir and performed the umrah in Mecca. Erdo\u011fan travelled to Jeddah on Friday. They are expected to hold talks with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n The agreement had been in the works for almost a year. In January, Reuters reported on the negotiations, and Turkey\u2019s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated at the time that Ankara supported the creation of a broader regional security framework for cooperation and stability.<\/p>\n It is not yet clear exactly what commitments each party will undertake, or how the new agreement will affect the wider Middle East crisis. The current Saudi-Pakistani pact stipulates that an attack on one country is considered an attack on both, and covers \u00aball military means\u00bb, a Saudi official previously told Reuters.<\/p>\n At the same time, Pakistan sought to avoid direct military involvement in the war with Iran, instead aiming to act as a mediator. The country\u2019s Foreign Ministry confirmed the delegation\u2019s visit to the Kingdom and described it as a step towards strengthening bilateral ties.<\/p>\n The three countries are increasingly concerned about regional instability, the role of Shia Iran and Israel\u2019s more assertive policy. Since the start of the war on 28 February, Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come under attack from Iran, its Houthi allies in Yemen and Shia groups in Iraq.<\/p>\n\n
Leaders\u2019 meeting and status of the announcement<\/h2>\n
The negotiations lasted almost a year, but the terms of the pact have not been disclosed<\/h2>\n
Attacks on the Gulf states and risks to energy exports<\/h2>\n