By Xu Yizhen
许怡真
Recently, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement in the Saudi capital Riyadh, under which any attack against either country will be considered "an aggression against both." In a joint statement, the two countries said the agreement reflects their shared commitment to strengthening national security and promoting peace in the region and beyond. It aims to develop bilateral defense cooperation and bolster joint deterrence against any aggression.
日前，沙特阿拉伯和巴基斯坦在沙特首都利雅得签署共同战略防御协议。根据协议，第三方针对两国任何一国的攻击将被视为“对两国的侵略”。两国发表联合声明说，这份协议反映出双方对加强国家安全以及实现地区和世界安全与和平的共同承诺，旨在发展两国间防务合作，加强对任何侵略的联合威慑。
Saudi Arabia was among the first countries to recognize Pakistan's independence. In 2018, it extended a US$6 billion loan to support Pakistan. Since 1967, Pakistan has trained more than 8,000 Saudi military personnel. The enduring close diplomatic and security ties have laid a solid foundation for the signing of the new agreement. Meanwhile, the increasing spillover of security risks in the Middle East has become a direct catalyst for the signing of the agreement.
沙特是巴基斯坦宣布独立后最早予以外交承认的国家之一，曾在2018年向巴基斯坦提供60亿美元贷款。而巴方自1967年以来已为超过8000名沙特军人提供培训。双方长期保持的密切外交和安全关系，为此次协议签署奠定基础。而中东日趋外溢的安全风险，则是双方签署协议的直接诱因。
Israel carried out a precision strike targeting the Hamas leadership on September 9 in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Blatantly violating Qatar's territorial sovereignty and national security, in clear breach of international law and the UN Charter, and openly undermining efforts to achieve peace, the act prompted strong condemnation from the international community. At that time, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a two-day visit to Israel, asserting that the Israeli strike on Qatar would not shake US-Israel relations. Upon Rubio’s arrival in Israel, the Israeli military launched intensified operations in the Gaza Strip, steadily expanding air strikes on Gaza City and its surrounding areas.
9月9日，以色列针对身处卡塔尔首都多哈的哈马斯领导层进行“精准打击”,公然侵犯卡塔尔领土主权和国家安全、公然违反国际法和《联合国宪章》、公然破坏实现和平的努力，随即引发国际社会严厉谴责。此时，美国国务卿鲁比奥开始对以色列进行为期两天的访问，并表示以色列对卡塔尔的袭击不会动摇美以关系。在鲁比奥抵达以色列之际，以军甚至对加沙地带展开强烈攻势，不断扩大对加沙城及其外围区域的空袭规模。
Israel’s hardline actions, coupled with deliberate US indulgence, have undoubtedly provoked strong dissatisfaction among the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. Qatar is not only one of the main mediators in the Israel-Palestine ceasefire negotiations, but also an important US ally in the Middle East. According to Foreign analysts, without the US's nod, it is almost impossible for Israeli fighter jets to approach or enter Qatar's airspace without being detected. This situation has made some Gulf countries, long reliant on US protection, realize that in the eyes of Washington, the interests of other Middle Eastern allies may become a sacrificable cost when faced with the more intimate ally, Israel. The US, as a security partner, has proven unreliable, inevitably prompting some regional countries to seek alternative security arrangements and reevaluate their relationship with Washington.
以色列的强硬举动和美国的刻意纵容，无疑让沙特等海湾国家产生强烈不满。卡塔尔不仅是巴以停火谈判的主要斡旋方之一，也是美国在中东地区的重要盟友。外国分析人士普遍认为，没有美方点头，以军战机几乎不可能在无人发现的情况下靠近或进入卡塔尔空域。这让一直依靠美国提供保护的一些海湾国家看到，对美方而言，在“更亲密”的盟友以色列面前，其他中东盟友的利益或许会成为“可以牺牲的代价”。美国这个“安全伙伴”并不可靠，必然导致部分地区国家开始寻求其他安全手段并重新审视与美国的关系。
It is therefore understandable that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have signed such a strategic defense agreement. Saudi Arabia seeks to diversify its security cooperation, while Pakistan aims to enhance its strategic standing. Their shared objective is to address the uncertainties in the regional situation through closer and more robust security cooperation. Although the agreement does not explicitly state that Pakistan will provide nuclear protection to Saudi Arabia, it can still enhance the deterrence of Gulf countries in the security domain and, to some extent, help prevent incidents similar to Israel's strike on Qatar. For Pakistan, Saudi Arabia serves as a reliable strategic anchor within the regional security framework. Following the signing of the agreement, the regional influence of Pakistan is also expected to further increase.
因此，沙特与巴基斯坦签署这样一份安全防御协议也就不难理解。沙特希望借此协议实现安全保障合作的多元化，巴方则寻求提升战略地位。双方的共同目标，是以更紧密的安全合作来应对地区局势的不确定性。尽管协议中没有明确指出巴基斯坦要为沙特提供“核保护”，但仍可以提升海湾国家在安全领域的威慑力，在一定程度上避免类似以色列对卡塔尔的行动再次发生。对于巴基斯坦来说，沙特是巴基斯坦在地区安全架构中可靠的战略支点。协议签署后，巴基斯坦的地区影响力也将进一步提升。
Some analysts believe that, following this agreement, countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar may also seek to sign similar agreements with Pakistan. Ultimately, the Gaza issue remains a core security concern in the Middle East, and the sense of insecurity among regional countries is a direct consequence of the spillover effects of the conflict. Security should be shared, and responding to violence with violence only generates and accumulates new hostility. A comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza is the most effective way to alleviate regional tensions.
有分析人士认为，在这份协议之后，阿联酋、卡塔尔等国很可能会与巴基斯坦签署类似协议。归根到底，加沙问题仍是中东局势的一个核心安全问题，相关国家的不安全感是冲突影响外溢的结果。安全应当是共同的，以暴制暴只能制造和积聚新的仇恨，推动加沙全面停火才能真正有效缓解地区紧张局势。