Turkiye and Qatar sign mutual defense agreement after Erdogan–Emir meeting in Istanbul

Mixed · 2Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Istanbul on Friday 13 November. 1 2 Centre · 1Erdogan welcomed the emir with an official ceremony at the Presidential Dolmabahce Office, and the leaders introduced their delegations before holding a one-on-one meeting and delegation-level talks. 1 Centre · 1The talks were held behind closed doors. 1

Right · 1After the meeting, Erdogan's office said Turkiye and Qatar had signed a mutual defense agreement, according to Reuters. 2 Right · 1The presidency's statement on X did not provide details of the defense accord. 2 Right · 1The presidency quoted Erdogan as saying the two countries would continue working together to prevent the resurgence of war in the Gulf region and to establish a basis for dialogue and achieve peace. 2

Mixed · 2Erdogan said the agreement would add a new dimension to relations, which the presidency also described as adding another dimension to their "brotherhood". 3 4 Centre · 1According to the presidency, Erdogan also said Turkey was working to develop and diversify its energy partnership with Qatar and that defence industry cooperation would continue to grow; Anadolu added that he said the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, in force since last year, had brought the two countries closer to their trade volume target. 5 Right · 1Reuters noted that in August Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, under which an attack on one party is an attack on all, and that Turkey's parliament ratified it last week, clearing the way for military support to Saudi Arabia, which is fending off attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants. 4