🔍 An alliance that doesn't exist: Will Pakistan and Turkey defend Saudi Arabia?

The Mecca Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey in August has faced a test of strength after attacks by Yemeni rebels on Saudi Arabia. The pact declares that an attack on one participant is equal to an attack on all. However, the obligation of Turkey and Pakistan to come to Riyadh's defense appears ambiguous due to the paradox of three legal systems.

🇹🇷 Turkey: legally not in force. The document requires parliamentary ratification, which has not been done. In the Turkish parliament, they state that the agreement has no legal force. It is expected to be submitted for consideration in October.

🇵🇰 Pakistan: officially in force. Parliamentary ratification is not mandatory here — the treaty was ratified by the executive branch. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry and the defense minister have stated that the agreement has entered into force.

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: perceived as in force, but formally not. The paradox is that in Saudi Arabia itself, the agreement has not entered into force: a royal decree is required, and there is no public data on the completion of the procedure. The text of the document has also not been published — this leaves open questions about its ratification and duration.

Thus, the real obligations of the parties depend not so much on legal procedures as on the political will of each participant. And so, the answer to the question of whether Pakistan and Turkey will defend Saudi Arabia hinges on another: should they?

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