ISTANBUL — Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan agreed Monday to establish the secretariat of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in the Kingdom as the three countries moved to institutionalize their defense partnership and strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense.The decision was announced in a joint statement following the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Istanbul, attended by the foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs of the three countries.The secretariat will be headed by a secretary-general and based in Saudi Arabia. During its initial phase, a Pakistani secretary-general will lead the body for a three-year term.The three countries reaffirmed their determination to work together under the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement to achieve sustainable peace and stability in the region.They pledged to continue supporting efforts toward de-escalation and restraint to encourage peaceful solutions to regional crises.“Today, the three countries agreed to take further steps to institutionalize their cooperation under the Makkah Agreement in a manner that strengthens their solidarity, ensures the credibility and effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense, and contributes to regional and cooperative security efforts aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive and lasting peace,” the statement said.Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan also agreed to strengthen their defense capabilities and the cohesion of their armed forces through joint activities.The three countries will pursue closer defense industry cooperation, including the development of joint production and technologies.The statement said the institutional and effective implementation of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement would enable the three countries to make significant contributions to regional peace and stability.Earlier Monday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, who led the Kingdom’s delegation to the committee meeting, said the three countries had reaffirmed their commitment to activating the agreement.“We affirmed our commitment to activating the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement pathways in a way that strengthens integration and advances security and stability,” Prince Khalid said.In his address to the meeting, Prince Khalid highlighted the depth of the strategic relations between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan, stressing that the security of the three countries is interconnected.He said confronting challenges and threats requires political coordination, defense integration and collective military readiness.Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, meanwhile, said the agreement had begun a process of establishing a “new security and cooperation architecture” in the region.Fidan also said the agreement was designed with the possibility of expansion, with the three founding countries working to develop the institutional structure and a roadmap governing the potential accession of additional members.Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in Makkah on Aug. 7.The agreement establishes a collective defense commitment under which an attack against any one of the three countries is considered an attack against all parties.