Khaberni - The Pakistani Defense Production Minister, Raza Hayat Harraj, said "Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have prepared a draft defense agreement after negotiations that lasted about a year."
The Pakistani minister told Reuters that the potential agreement between the three powers is separate from the Saudi-Pakistani bilateral agreement announced last year, confirming that finalizing the agreement requires final consensus among the three countries.
Harraj further stated, "The draft of the tripartite agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey has indeed been completed, and the three countries are conducting internal deliberations about it."
In response to a question during a press conference held in Istanbul today regarding media reports about the negotiations between the three parties, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, said that his country is conducting talks about the possibility of a defense agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, but no agreement has been signed yet.
Fidan pointed to the need to enhance regional cooperation and trust, adding that regional issues can be resolved if the involved countries "trust each other."
Earlier, Turkish officials in the security and diplomatic circles told Al Jazeera Net that Ankara is considering joining an alliance involving Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Security sources said that Turkey is considering joining this alliance and clarified that Ankara has placed this topic on its agenda and is evaluating it.
They added that, looking at the capabilities, potentials, and resources that the three countries (Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey) have, the formation of such an alliance would create a strong and beneficial structure for each of these states.
Regarding the reasons that drive Turkey to participate in this alliance, the sources mentioned that "the world is undergoing significant change; every side is forced to act, keeping in mind the security of its country and its interests. We believe that the concepts of 'West and East' alliances have vanished. Therefore, each country can now establish new alliances and agreements."
