A Pakistani minister has said his country has been discussing a draft defense cooperation framework with Turkey and Saudi Arabia following months of talks, though Turkey has said that no agreement has yet been signed, Reuters reported.
Pakistani Minister for Defense Production Raza Hayat Harraj told Reuters on Wednesday that a proposed trilateral arrangement among the three countries has been under consideration for about 10 months, adding that a draft text has been shared with all sides and remains under review.
Harraj said the proposed framework is separate from a bilateral defense accord announced last year between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and will require full consensus among the three countries before it can move forward.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed on Thursday that discussions had taken place but said no formal agreement had been concluded.
Speaking at a press conference in İstanbul, Fidan emphasized the need for broader regional cooperation based on trust to address instability and security challenges.
“At the end of all of this, we have this kind of proposal: All regional nations must come together to create a cooperation platform on the issue of security,” Fidan said. Regional issues could be resolved if relevant countries would “be sure of each other,” he added.
“At the moment, there are meetings and talks, but we have not signed any agreement,” Fidan said, adding that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan favors a broad framework aimed at increasing cooperation and stability across the region.
He did not name Pakistan or Saudi Arabia directly.