Turkey’s parliament is expected to approve a defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan today (Wednesday)—more than three months after it was signed. The vote comes as one of the alliance members, Saudi Arabia, has been facing deadly attacks by the Houthi terror organization on its territory for several weeks.
1+Despite Saudi Arabia confronting a violent conflict, final parliamentary approval won’t significantly change the battlefield. According to Reuters, the approval, if granted, will give Ankara a formal commitment to mutual defense with Saudi Arabia, but won’t by itself send Turkish forces there. Deploying military personnel would require a separate parliamentary mandate, the agency reported.
Turkey submitted the request to approve the “Mecca Joint Defense Agreement” to parliament last month. Under the agreement, whose key provision mirrors NATO’s Article 5 (whereby an attack on one member is considered an attack on all), the parties plan to strengthen cooperation in the defense industry and military coordination, while creating deterrence against threats.
1+But despite the significant Article 5 provision, official sources told Reuters last month that Turkey’s contribution to Saudi Arabia is expected to consist of military equipment, intelligence sharing, and weapons systems—actions that obviously aren’t taken by a country that needs to act “as if it were attacked on its own soil.”
The Turkish defense minister clarified that Turkey doesn’t see its forces integrating into combat or offensive operations against the Houthis. Analysts note that Turkey, which has a strong defense industry, can help Saudi Arabia with technical support and combat experience, as well as air defense technologies and electronic warfare.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia continues to fight the terror organization alone, with the third partner, Pakistan, nowhere in sight. The Pakistani Defense Ministry claimed its aircraft participated in a Saudi strike on the Houthis last month, but provided no documentation and didn’t say a Pakistani strike was actually carried out in Yemeni territory—only “participation.”