New York (Web Desk): Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has responded to criticism of the Makkah Defence Pact, saying it is not appropriate to declare the new defence alliance unsuccessful based on Yemen’s prolonged crisis, as the alliance has only just begun.
During a panel discussion on Türkiye-US relations in New York, Hakan Fidan was asked whether the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in Yemen were not the first test of the Makkah Defence Pact.
In response, he asked former US ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey, who was present in the hall, how long he had been serving in the military. Jeffrey replied that it had been approximately 50 years.
Hakan Fidan then asked how many times NATO’s Article 5 had been activated during that period, to which he was told it had been activated only once. The Turkish foreign minister said it was not fair to assess a new defence alliance on the basis of Yemen’s 10-year crisis.
He said the Makkah Defence Pact aims to promote mutual cooperation among countries in the region while respecting their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
According to Hakan Fidan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have a roadmap in this regard, while other countries will also be given an opportunity to join once the pact is institutionalized.
He said the Makkah Defence Pact had been under consideration for the past five to six years and it had taken time to bring the relevant countries to an agreement. However, regional countries have now recognized the importance of regional cooperation and solidarity.