Turkey will not join a mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, a source close to the Saudi military told Agence France-Presse on Saturday after a Turkish official said earlier this month that talks were underway on joining the arrangement.
Speculation has circulated that the 3 countries were intent on forming an alliance amid rising regional tensions following Israel airstrikes in Doha over the summer targeting officials from Hamas, which preceded Iran bombing a United States air base in Qatar.
“Turkey won’t join the defense pact with Pakistan,” the source told AFP, dismissing reports of negotiations.
“It’s a bilateral pact with Pakistan and will remain a bilateral pact.”
A Gulf official also confirmed the information.
“This is a bilateral defensive relationship with Pakistan. We have common agreements with Turkey but the one with Pakistan will stay bilateral,” the official said.
The defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, announced last year, raised questions, including about a possible nuclear component given that Islamabad has nuclear weapons.
The Pakistan-Saudi pact was signed months after Pakistan and India fought an intense 4-day conflict in May that killed more than 70 people on both sides in missile, drone and artillery fire, the worst clashes between the nuclear-armed neighbors since 1999.
Pakistan and India, also a nuclear power, have long accused each other of backing militant forces to destabilize one another.
Saudi Arabia is believed to have played a key role in defusing the conflict.
Riyadh also maintains good relations with Delhi.
India’s rapidly developing economy relies heavily on petroleum imports with Saudi Arabia ranked as its third-largest supplier, according to the Indian foreign ministry.
© Agence France-Presse