AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Speaking to reporters after the meeting in Riyadh, Fidan said the session had originally been scheduled to discuss mechanisms for institutionalizing the coalition. However, recent developments on the ground in Yemen and Saudi Arabia led to the meeting being held on an exceptional basis.
According to Fidan, coalition members discussed key structural and organizational matters, including the establishment of a secretariat and the selection and approval of a new secretary-general. Defense ministers and military chiefs from member states also held intensive discussions on military, operational and technical issues.
Fidan said the participants examined possible diplomatic and peaceful approaches to resolving the conflict in Yemen. He also highlighted what he described as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “strong determination” regarding the issue, saying important decisions had been taken to translate that position into practical measures.
He described the Riyadh meeting as productive, saying the participants discussed the future direction of the Mecca Coalition in institutional, military and technical terms, as well as how the joint defense grouping could respond to regional challenges.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman said the meeting emphasized the unity of member states and the activation of collective deterrence in response to attacks against Saudi Arabia. He said collective deterrence would be activated under the Mecca Pact in response to attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and Islamic holy sites.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye had reaffirmed their condemnation of what they described as attempts to target Mecca and Medina. The ministry also said the three countries had reached an agreement on providing military personnel and capabilities under the Mecca agreement.
At the conclusion of the Riyadh meeting, the three countries agreed to immediately begin implementing their commitments related to joint defense.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, member states agreed to begin the necessary measures to provide the agreed military personnel and capabilities and to rapidly deploy them in Saudi Arabia.
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