Turkey and Qatar have signed a mutual defence agreement pledging a unified response to any external armed attack against either country, as part of efforts to strengthen military cooperation and promote regional security.
The agreement was signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during their meeting in Istanbul on Friday.
Under the agreement, the two countries pledged to consult on threats to their security, regional and global security developments, and defence policies.
They also agreed to expand cooperation through joint military exercises, defence industry partnerships and personnel training exchanges.
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In a joint statement issued after the 12th session of their Supreme Strategic Committee, the countries said the agreement reflected their commitment to protecting their sovereignty and territorial integrity and promoting a more secure and stable regional order.
The Turkish presidency said Erdogan had reaffirmed the countries’ commitment to preventing a resurgence of conflict in the Gulf region and creating conditions for dialogue and peace.
Turkey and Qatar also expressed readiness to strengthen energy cooperation, particularly in liquefied natural gas trade, building on their longstanding relationship.
The two countries said they were working to diversify their energy partnership, while defence industry cooperation was also expected to expand.
The joint communiqué also welcomed the signing of the Badr Memorandum by Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia, aimed at strengthening their collective defence capabilities through indigenous production, technology development, information exchange and closer cooperation in defence supply chains.
The agreement followed a separate defence pact signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in Mecca on August 7, establishing a joint security arrangement among the three countries.
Under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, an armed attack against one of the three countries is considered an attack against all, with provisions for collective security and military cooperation.
Turkey’s parliament approved ratification of the agreement on November 5, clearing the way for Ankara to provide military support to Saudi Arabia amid attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants.
The ratification law was subsequently published in Turkey’s Official Gazette on November 14.
Reuters
