Turkey Says Mecca Defense Pact Is Technically Identical to NATO Article 5

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed on Friday by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is technically the same as Article 5 of the NATO treaty on collective defense. He said the accord took two years to prepare, that its secretariat will be headquartered in Saudi Arabia, and that joint exercises and training are planned. Fidan said no common threat is written into the text, and that no country that does not attack the signatories is in their sights. He said he expects Egypt to join at the next stage, and that other states have asked to take part.