Kuwait felicitates Pakistan on Makkah defence deal

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received a phone call from Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, wherein the latter felicitated the former on the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday. According to the FO, the two dignitaries spoke late on Sunday and also “exchanged views on the regional situation, including occupied East Jerusalem”.

They also discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and “matters of mutual interest, including the follow-up to FM Jarrah’s recent visit to Pakistan and further enhancing cooperation and investment in key sectors”. “The two sides agreed to remain closely engaged,” the FO added. Earlier, DPM Dar had also spoken to Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand. “The two exchanged views on the regional situation, including the recently signed Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye,” the FO said. It added that Dar shared the “essence of the agreement” and the “joint resolve of the three countries to contribute to regional peace, stability and security”.

The joint defence agreement, signed in Makkah on Friday, aims to strengthen collective deterrence and empowers its signatory states to treat an attack against one of them as an attack against all of them. On Sunday, Dar said that the agreement remained “open to any country in the region” willing to uphold its fundamental principles after the Turkish foreign minister said Egypt could be joining the pact. “The Makkah accord is the culmination of years of discussions and coordination, with a common desire to strengthen strategic cooperation in addressing multifarious peace and security challenges and advancing regional peace, stability and prosperity,” Dar said. He clarified that the pact did not abrogate or replace any existing bilateral or multilateral agreements between the signatory countries, or with other countries or organisations. Reiterating that any external armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all under the pact, he said it was consistent with the inherent right of individual and collective self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Moreover, he said, the accord was “purely defensive” in nature. “It is not targeted against any country and its sole purpose is to further strengthen our ongoing efforts towards peace, stability and prosperity in the wider region.” “The Makkah Accord remains open to any country in the region willing to uphold its fundamental principles and resolve differences through mutual respect, cooperation and peaceful means,” he said, adding that the pact was consistent with the fundamental pillars of Islamabad’s foreign policy. “Pakistan looks forward to continuing to work closely with all brotherly countries in the region towards lasting peace and stability. We remain committed to advancing the cause of peaceful resolution of all conflicts and building a more secure, stable and prosperous future for our peoples,” he concluded.