Pakistan, Sept. 22 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has defended the newly formed Makkah defence pact against criticism over Yemen. He rejected claims that the alliance had failed its first major test. Fidan said the pact had only recently begun and should not face such judgment.

Speaking at a New York panel, Fidan discussed criticism linked to Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. A participant asked whether the Yemen crisis represented the pact's first major test. Fidan responded by questioning how NATO's Article 5 had performed historically.

Fidan asked former US ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey about his military experience. Jeffrey said he had joined the military around five decades ago. Fidan then asked how often NATO had activ...