Pakistan, Turkey Likely to Lead New Regional Security Alliance With Gulf Countries

Turkey is preparing to host fresh talks later this week on the creation of a regional security platform involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and possibly Egypt, with discussions set to take place on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum starting Friday, reported Bloomberg.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the proposed platform aims to establish regular and structured cooperation on regional issues, particularly security and strategic coordination.

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and potentially Egypt have been invited for the talks. This would be the third such meeting in the past month, following earlier rounds of discussions held in Riyadh and Islamabad, according to Turkish officials.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson also confirmed during a weekly press briefing that senior officials from the four countries had already met in Islamabad earlier this week to prepare for the Antalya talks.

These discussions are focused on building a long-term regional security coordination framework and are said to be separate from ongoing diplomatic efforts related to the Iran conflict.

Bloomberg had earlier reported in January that Turkey was exploring possible participation in an existing defense understanding between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. At the time, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had confirmed that discussions were taking place, although no formal agreement had been signed.