Doha: Qatar on Tuesday expressed its approval of the Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement forged between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan. The agreement is perceived by Qatar as a positive step towards enhancing defense cooperation and fostering amicable relations among neighboring countries.

According to Anadolu Agency, Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari emphasized Qatar's support for any regional collaboration that bolsters security, stability, and defense in the region. He addressed a weekly news conference in Doha, stating, "We welcome any regional cooperation that strengthens security, stability, and defense among the countries of the region."

Al-Ansari highlighted the strategic and fraternal ties Qatar shares with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey, underlining their shared destiny and common concerns. He asserted that Qatar views any defense framework built on cooperation and good neighborly relations as beneficial for both regional and global security. "For the security of our region and the security of the world, we fully positively view any defense framework based on cooperation and good-neighborly relations," Al-Ansari remarked.

He emphasized the collective responsibility of regional security, which necessitates coordination and cooperation among regional players. The Mecca Mutual Defense Agreement, signed last Friday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, seeks to enhance defense collaboration without targeting any specific nation.

The agreement aims to fortify collective deterrence against acts of aggression and stipulates that an armed attack on any of the signatories will be considered an attack on all three. It also includes defense arrangements to support each other's security, develop defense industry cooperation, and enhance military interoperability, thereby contributing to peace, stability, and prosperity both regionally and globally.