Turkey says regional defense pact not against any country

The meeting came as Israel said Monday that it had signed a deal with Athens, worth almost $3.5 billion, to establish the "Achilles Shield" aerial defense system for Greece.(AFP) — Turkey’s top diplomat stressed Monday that a regional defense pact with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia was not aimed at any particular country and was open to others, including Egypt.Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s remarks came after the first ministerial meeting of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, which commits Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to mutual defense if any of them is attacked.“This alliance is founded on international principles such as respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and non-interference in their internal affairs,” he told reporters in Istanbul after officials met at an Ottoman-era palace.“The alliance is not against any state and is open to all states in our region that adhere to these fundamental principles,” he said of the pact, which was signed against the backdrop of war between the U.S. and Iran and regional attacks by Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.The pact unites Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest military, with Pakistan, the Islamic world’s only nuclear-armed state, and Saudi Arabia, a leading Gulf power.The meeting came as Israel said Monday that it had signed a 3 billion euro deal with Athens, worth almost $3.5 billion, to establish the “Achilles Shield” aerial defense system for Greece.Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, also attended the talks, along with defense ministers from all three countries and their military chiefs of staff.‘Not someone to be taken seriously’Asked whether other countries, including Egypt, could join the pact, Fidan said it was “indeed possible” but stressed that consultations were ongoing to determine conditions, procedures and standards for membership.“We are also working on a roadmap regarding the processes of joining the alliance,” he added.Asked about Israel’s increasingly bellicose rhetoric toward Turkey, Fidan noted the proximity of Israel’s upcoming elections and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “not someone to be taken seriously.”Earlier this month, Turkey said it was seeking an international arrest warrant for Netanyahu, accusing him of “genocide” linked to Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. The move prompted a flurry of verbal exchanges between the two countries.“The main audience Netanyahu must answer to is the international community, because Netanyahu, his mentality, and the genocidal crowd acting with him constitute a threat, not only for Turkey but for global security as a whole,” Fidan said.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads