Istanbul / NINA / - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that the "Mecca Pact" agreement is defensive rather than offensive, noting that the necessary steps to submit it to his country's parliament have been completed.

Speaking at a joint press conference held today, Thursday, in Ankara with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, Fidan said: "When a state that is a party to the Mecca Pact agreement comes under attack, it is supported in its defense; it is not an agreement for launching attacks."

Fidan emphasized that Turkey would not send troops to the territory of another state to launch an attack from there.

He mentioned that he had participated in the meeting of the Political and Defense Strategic Committee for the "Mecca Pact" (Joint Defense Agreement), held last Monday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, noting that the primary reason for participating in this extraordinary meeting was to discuss the attacks to which Saudi Arabia, in particular, is being subjected.

He added: "Key issues—such as the structure of the military headquarters, the status of the General Secretariat, and the appointment of a new Secretary-General—were among the items concerning the institutional framework; these are fundamental matters that must be finalized."

Fidan noted that steps regarding the institutional framework and practical measures were taken very quickly—despite the short time elapsed since the agreement was signed—demonstrating the parties' resolve, seriousness, and desire to see tangible results.

Fidan also mentioned that Turkey had discussed with Pakistan ways to contribute to defense efforts against attacks launched by the Houthis from Yemen targeting Saudi Arabia.

He stated: "I would also like to clarify that the cheap political rhetoric occasionally voiced does not align with reality. Forces loyal to the legitimate Yemeni government are continuing the ongoing conflict in Yemen, with support from Saudi Arabia. However, we are simultaneously doing everything in our power to resolve the issue through peace and dialogue."

Regarding the submission of the agreement to Parliament, Fidan said: "The necessary preparations to send the agreement to Parliament have been completed. Yesterday, we presented our final proposal on the matter to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and a decision has been made to refer it to Parliament as soon as possible; we have virtually finalized the process."

Turning to the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan emphasized the need to prevent the Black Sea from becoming a new theater of conflict, noting that the war remains a major threat to regional and global stability.

He said: "Since the war began, we have made significant efforts to prevent the hostilities from spreading to the Black Sea. Our strict implementation of the Montreux Straits Convention and the Black Sea Grain Initiative are tangible examples of this approach," adding that his country perceives the war as expanding into the Black Sea region.

He added: "The increasing attacks on civilian vessels pose a serious threat to the safety of lives, property, navigation, and the environment in our region. As nations of the region and the international community, we must absolutely not allow the Black Sea to turn into a new conflict front." / End




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