A Mecca Pact that Falls Short of Its Aspirations The recent agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan has been touted as a significant development in regional security, but closer examination reveals a pact that falls short of being a Nato style defence alliance.
The three nations have committed to mutual cooperation and support in the event of an attack on any one of them, but observers warn of challenges ahead.
The Mecca agreement's emphasis on collective defence bears some superficial resemblance to Article 5 of the Nato treaty, but the parallels end there.