The Turkish flag. (Photo: AFP)
Turkey will host Saudi Arabia and Pakistan for the first ministerial meeting of their new regional defense grouping on Monday, Turkish sources said Sunday.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed earlier this month commits the three countries to mutual defense 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 defense strategic committee" involving foreign and defense 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 defense ministers as well as the chief of the general staff.
Pakistan is sending Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with the defense minister and the commander of the defense forces.
Saudi Arabia will be represented by its foreign minister, the defense minister and the chief of the general staff, Turkish sources said.
As well as international security, the participants plan to address boosting defense capabilities, the interoperability of their armed forces, and their cooperation in the defense industry, Ankara said.
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