Qatar has welcomed a new trilateral defense agreement signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. At a weekly press conference in Doha on August 12, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said Qatar views positively any initiative that strengthens regional security, stability and defense cooperation.

Al-Ansari said Qatar welcomes initiatives that can ensure security and stability through greater regional cooperation. He said Qatar has strategic relations and fraternal bonds with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, built on shared interests and common concerns. He also described regional security as a collective responsibility requiring coordination and cooperation among the countries concerned.

The agreement was signed last Friday in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It covers stronger mutual security cooperation, expanded defense-industrial cooperation, and greater coordination and joint capabilities among their armed forces. Under the agreement, an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three. The parties said the arrangement is not directed against any specific country.