Turkey is examining possible military support for Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defence pact that also includes Pakistan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday, according to Middle East Eye.
Speaking to Turkish broadcaster NTV, Fidan said the agreement carried an obligation of solidarity among the participating countries. His comments indicated that Ankara was considering how it could respond to Saudi requirements within the framework of the pact rather than outlining a specific package of assistance.
Fidan said Turkey could help meet Saudi Arabia’s military needs, with a particular focus on technical matters. No further details were provided about the type of technical assistance under review, the scale of any possible support or when a decision might be taken.
The foreign minister linked the deliberations to what he described as serious threats to Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “We see there are very serious attacks on Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty. We have an alliance agreement in our pact,” Fidan told NTV.
He also said Turkey condemned what he called provocative actions. The source material did not identify the attacks or actions to which he was referring, nor did it name those allegedly responsible. It also did not specify whether Saudi Arabia had formally requested assistance from Ankara.
Fidan’s remarks presented the trilateral arrangement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as the basis for Turkey’s review of potential support. While he said the pact required solidarity and pointed to Turkey’s capacity to address military needs, he did not announce a deployment, arms transfer or other concrete measure.
The comments therefore marked an indication that Ankara was studying its options under the defence framework, while leaving the form and extent of any assistance unresolved. Neither a timetable nor details of consultations among Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were included in the report.
Reporting attribution: based on reporting by Middle East Eye — original source: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/turkey-studying-military-support-saudi-arabia-under-defence-pact-fidan.