Turkish, Saudi, Pakistani ministers to hold first defence pact meeting

Turkey will host Saudi Arabia and Pakistan for the first ministerial meeting of their new regional defence grouping on Monday, Turkish sources said Sunday.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed earlier this month commits the three countries to mutual defence in the event of any of them being attacked.

The pact came against a backdrop of war between the United States and Iran and attacks in the region from Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

The meeting in Istanbul will set up a "political and defence strategic committee" involving foreign and defence ministers and military chiefs, Turkish foreign ministry sources said.

The agreement unites NATO's second-largest army, Turkey, with the Islamic world's only nuclear-armed state, Pakistan, and the leading Gulf power in Saudi Arabia.

Monday's meeting will be chaired by the Turkish foreign and defence ministers as well as the chief of the general staff.

Pakistan is sending Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with the defence minister and the commander of the defence forces.

Saudi Arabia will be represented by its foreign minister, the defence minister and the chief of the general staff, Turkish sources said.

As well as international security, the participants plan to address boosting defence capabilities, the interoperability of their armed forces, and their cooperation in the defence industry, Ankara said.