Egypt could join the military alliance recently formed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, a week after the three countries signed a defence agreement that some analysts have likened to an "Arab NATO".
In an Al Jazeera interview due to air on Sunday, Erdogan said it was "possible" that Cairo could join the 'Mecca pact', adding that the alliance was open to participation from other countries in the region.
The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city on 14 August by Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif.
It includes a defence clause similar to NATO's Article 5, which stipulates that an attack against one of the countries is an attack against them all.
Egypt has in recent months joined Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in an informal grouping that has coordinated closely amid the turmoil of the Iran war and Israel’s destabilising actions across the region.
But Cairo has fallen short of formally joining the military alliance. Egypt's foreign minister Badr Abdelatty on Friday said the possibility was being considered "very seriously" but that it requires careful study on its impact on "Egypt's constitution and legal commitments".
Joining the pact would mark a significant departure from Cairo’s long-standing preference for strategic hedging and avoidance of binding regional military blocs.
While Egypt has cultivated security ties with a range of powers, analysts argue that formally committing to a collective-defence alliance could risk entangling the country in conflicts beyond its control.
Erdogan's comments echo statements made by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan this week, who expressed hope that Egypt might join the alliance after addressing "a few technical issues".
Turkey's regional agenda: Syria, Gaza and Lebanon
Erdogan also addressed a range of regional issues, including the US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz and the conflicts in Syria, Gaza and Lebanon.
On Syria, he pledged Turkey’s support for the country’s stability and reiterated his long-standing intention to visit Damascus. In a separate interview on Saturday, Turkey’s ambassador to Syria, Nuh Yilmaz, said Erdogan could travel to the country before the end of the year. The president had initially planned to visit in April, but the Iran war delayed the trip, Yilmaz added.
Erdogan said Syria’s Kurds would have a “share in peace and stability”, adding that Ankara would seek to improve relations with Kurdish communities across the region.
Turning to Gaza, Erdogan said Turkey “cannot leave Gaza alone” and would provide whatever support was necessary. He said Hamas had upheld its commitments under the October ceasefire agreement, while accusing Israel of continuing the war. Turkey has helped mediate efforts to end the conflict alongside Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
On Lebanon, Erdogan said he was deeply concerned by Israel’s continuing attacks, adding that he had appealed to the United States to help bring the war to an end during President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Ankara.