U.S. diplomatic chief Anthony Blinken will leave today for Jordan and then Turkey for talks on Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the State Department said.
During the talks, which will take place Dec. 12 in Aqaba, on the Red Sea, and a day later in Ankara, the Turkish capital, Blinken will "reaffirm U.S. support calling for an 'inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government,'" State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
He will also discuss "the need for the transition process and new Syrian government to respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from serving as a base for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that chemical weapons stockpiles are safely secured and destroyed," he added.
This is Blinken's twelfth visit to the Middle East since October 7, 2023, AFP reported.
During his trip, the US secretary of state intends to stress "the urgent need for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza that guarantees the release of the hostages" still held by Hamas, the spokesman stated. | BGNES
