Turkish FM calls for Middle East security pact based on trust, regional solidarity

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Middle East needs its own security arrangements built on mutual trust rather than deterrence, stressing lasting stability can only be achieved through inclusive regional cooperation without domination by any single power, Report informs via Anadolu Agency.

In an interview with Al Jazeera's Resul Serdar Atas aired on Thursday, Fidan said that the main issue of cooperation in security among Gulf countries is "the lack of trust between states" in the region.

He said the region needs its own security arrangements, stressing that the priority should be "creating the fundamental and ultimate trust" among regional states rather than focusing first on deterrence. Trust, he argued, is the real foundation of security and stability.

He said the lack of trust between nation states remains the core problem in the region, and increasing mutual confidence would help bring peace without domination by any single power. Drawing a parallel with the European Union, Fidan said regional countries could also come together responsibly.

Responding to a question about a Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defense pact and Türkiye's possible participation, Fidan said: "Any pact in the region should be more inclusive," adding that broader regional cooperation could follow if built on these principles.

"No domination, no Turkish domination, no Arab domination, no Farsi domination, no other domination. The regional countries are coming together, acting responsibly," Fidan said.

Emphasizing inclusivity, he said: "We don't want to create another camp. We want to create a regional solidarity platform."

"We need regional cooperation and the establishment of a regional security architecture. If we are to fight anyone, it should be terrorists," the minister stressed.

He added that reliance on external hegemons has repeatedly failed, leaving behind instability and high costs, and argued that regional ownership, institutionalization, and shared platforms are necessary so countries no longer "outsource" their security.