Turkey Says Egypt Expected to Join Makkah Defence Agreement

Some countries made a special promise to help protect each other.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed this promise, called the Makkah Defence Agreement, on August 7.

Now Turkey says its friend Egypt should join the group too.

Turkey's foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, called Egypt a 'natural partner'.

He said there are just a few technical things to sort out before Egypt can join.

He also said Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are happy to let Egypt in.

Turkey wants the group to get bigger and include more countries.

The group's promise works a bit like NATO, where an attack on one country is treated as an attack on all.

But this group is more relaxed and has no big office or money system, which might suit Egypt because it also has a special aid relationship with the United States.