WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week on his twelfth go to for the reason that Israel-Hamas war erupted final 12 months however his first for the reason that ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad that has sparked new fears of instability within the area now wracked by three conflicts regardless of a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.
Blinken will journey to Jordan and Turkey on Thursday and Friday for talks anticipated to focus largely on Syria but in addition contact on long-elusive hopes for a deal to finish the combating in Gaza that has devastated the territory since October 2023.
The State Division stated Blinken would meet Jordanian officers, together with King Abdullah II, within the port metropolis of Aqaba on Thursday earlier than flying to Ankara for conferences with Turkish officers Friday. Different stops within the area are additionally attainable, officers stated.
Blinken “will reiterate the USA’ assist for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and consultant authorities,” division spokesman Matthew Miller stated in a press release.
“He’ll talk about the necessity for the transition course of and new authorities in Syria to respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the stream of humanitarian help, stop Syria from getting used as a base of terrorism or posing a menace to its neighbors, and be certain that chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed,” Miller stated.
Blinken would be the newest senior U.S. official to trek to the Center East since Assad fled to Russia on Sunday as Democrat President Joe Biden prepares to depart workplace on Jan. 20, 2025, and Republican Donald Trump takes over.
Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan, is in Israel. The commander of U.S. forces within the area visited American troops in Syria on Tuesday. Two high State Division officers — John Bass, undersecretary of state for political affairs, and Barbara Leaf, asistant secretary of state for Close to East affairs, have been within the area for the reason that weekend.
Trump, who has spoken of his need to see the conflicts finish earlier than he’s again within the White Home, has despatched designated Mideast envoy, Stephen Witkoff, to the area.
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