CHP Group Chairman Faik Öztrak took the floor on the entirety of the bill. Emphasizing that the agreement offers Turkey the opportunity to establish a new regional security structure outside of NATO, with itself at the center, Öztrak stated, "This agreement, which opens a new autonomous space in the East-West balance, carries special importance in this respect as well.
On the other hand, it is also noteworthy that Iranian President Pezeshkian stated they are ready to join the agreement, that the Syrian Foreign Minister announced they are evaluating joining the agreement by emphasizing the Middle East's need for joint defense systems and deterrence, and that the Foreign Ministers of the countries party to the Mecca Agreement met with the Iranian Foreign Minister in Tehran. The fact that the Mecca Agreement remains within the limits of ‘defense and deterrence’ and that security diplomacy with Iran is not severed is a guarantee against a new Shia-Sunni conflict in the region," he said.
"In this context, we state that we will vote in favor of this agreement"
Emphasizing that their stance as the CHP is clear, Öztrak said, "In the first article of the agreement, the expression that all methods will be used to eliminate threats in the event that the sovereignty, borders, and territorial integrity of the party countries are ‘threatened and endangered’ is in need of clarification. What is the definition of a threat? Under what circumstances will it be accepted that a country is in danger? These are ambiguous. Our sine qua non is that our nation's children, our Mehmetçik (Turkish soldiers), and our Turkish Armed Forces are not dragged into adventures with no clear beginning or end. We support a rational and honorable foreign policy that is far from adventure. We do not want the security umbrella of another power in the region. Turkey should not be a spectator of this era, but a party to and a director of partnerships that strengthen trust and cooperation in the Middle East. In this context, we state that we will vote in favor of this agreement," he said.
"It is out of the question for our country to be drawn into an uncontrolled process against its own will"
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and AK Party Ankara Deputy Fuat Oktay spoke on behalf of the AK Party Group regarding the bill related to the agreement. Oktay stated, "The Mecca Agreement stipulates that in the event of an attack on one of the parties, a ‘comprehensive consultation and objective assessment mechanism’ shall be operated and decisions shall be taken by consensus, that is, by joint decision. In this direction, it is out of the question for our country to be drawn into an uncontrolled process against its own will. Furthermore, the deployment of the Turkish Armed Forces abroad to participate in conflicts can only be possible with motions to be accepted in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in accordance with Article 92 of our Constitution," he said.
"According to the Mecca Agreement, any support to be provided against terrorism will be determined by the consensus to be reached"
Stating that the Mecca Agreement is a regional security ring that complements Turkey's security, Oktay said, "It is clear that the Mecca Alliance is fully compatible with our 360-degree security understanding, the fight against terrorism, and regional stability. A ‘profile of a Turkey that assumes responsibility in its region’ is welcomed by all countries. Likewise, some of our deputies have made criticisms regarding the lack of a common definition of terrorism. As you are aware, there is no multilateral international agreement that has a common definition of terrorism that everyone agrees on. Such a definition is not included in NATO's founding treaty either. Within the scope of the Mecca Agreement, any support to be provided against terrorism will be determined after the situation and needs are identified through consultations and by the consensus to be reached between the parties," he said.
Following the acceptance of the first article of the bill, Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Celal Adan adjourned the session. After the break, as the committee did not take its place, Adan closed the session to reconvene at 14:00.
News Source: 12punto
