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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday that Ankara is reviewing ways to help protect Saudi Arabia against attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels under a joint defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
However, Fidan made it clear that Turkey would not deploy troops to participate in direct military operations against the Houthis.
In August, Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defense Pact, under which an armed attack against any one of the three countries would be considered an attack against all. Following Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, the three countries have held political and military-level meetings.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban in Ankara on Thursday, Fidan said the agreement was defensive, not offensive. Military officials are reviewing what kind of assistance could be provided to Saudi Arabia, particularly in air defense, electronic warfare and technical support.
“Yemen’s government forces are continuing to fight on the ground, and Saudi Arabia is supporting them,” Fidan said.
He added, “This is a defensive agreement. If any member country is attacked, the others are required to stand by it in its defense. It is not an offensive pact. Turkey will not send troops there to attack another country’s territory.”
Fidan said a military delegation would determine the precise assistance Saudi Arabia needs and assess what Turkey and Pakistan could contribute.
On Wednesday, two Turkish officials told Reuters that Ankara was primarily preparing to provide defensive and technical assistance to Saudi Arabia to help counter the Houthis.
Turkish officials said that, at this stage, assistance would be provided under bilateral arrangements because the Turkish parliament has not yet formally ratified the joint defense agreement.
Fidan said preparations to submit the pact to parliament for approval were nearly complete, adding that the government aimed to submit it as soon as possible. Source: Reuters.
