Pakt koji mijenja ravnotežu u regionu
Saudijska Arabija i nuklearno naoružani Pakistan potpisali su međusobni odbrambeni pakt kojim se svako napadanje jedne zemlje smatra napadom na obje. Sporazum su u Rijadu potpisali prestolonasljednik Mohammed bin Salman i pakistanski premijer Shehbaz Sharif.
U tekstu se navodi: “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.” Cilj sporazuma je jačanje odbrambene saradnje i zajedničkog odvraćanja. “This agreement ... aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression.”
Jedan saudijski zvaničnik izjavio je: “will utilize all defensive and military means deemed necessary depending on the specific threat.” Analitičari već dugo spekulišu da bi Pakistan mogao pružiti nuklearnu zaštitu Saudijskoj Arabiji, posebno u okolnostima napetosti s Iranom i sukoba u regionu.
Retki komentari spominju i mogućnost odgovora prema Izraelu; kako je napisano: “Pakistan has nuclear weapons and delivery systems that can hit targets across the Middle East, including Israel. It also is developing systems that can reach targets in the U.S.” Istovremeno drugi stručnjaci tvrde: “Pakistan is more than confident that its conventional capability is adequate,” i da je vojska “adequate enough to improve the security of Saudi Arabia without having to resort to the nuclear option.”
Pakt dodatno povezuje Saudijsku Arabiju i Pakistan kroz dugu odbrambenu saradnju, dok region ostaje pod velikim pritiskom zbog mogućnosti širenja nuklearnih rizika.
