U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has met Jordan’s King Abdullah as President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration pushes for an “inclusive transition” in neighboring Syria following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
Blinken is in the region to seek support for principles that Washington hopes will guide what happens next in Syria.
During his meeting with the Jordanian King, Blinken warned against triggering further conflicts in Syria.
“When it comes to many actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts.”
Antony Blinken
State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller disclosed after the meeting in the Red Sea port of Aqaba that Blinken underscored the United States’ support for an inclusive transition that “can lead to an accountable and representative Syrian government chosen by the Syrian people.”
Miller added that Blinken also reiterated the importance of ensuring Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and destroyed, that civilians are protected and humanitarian aid can get to those who need it, and “preventing Syria from being used as a base for terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors.”
Blinken promised US support for the stability of Syria’s neighbours, including Jordan, “during this period of transition.”
Blinken added that Washington was working to bring home US citizen Travis Timmerman after Syria’s interim government said that he had been released.
King Abdullah, meanwhile, reaffirmed Jordan’s respect for the Syrian people’s choices, stressing the need to safeguard Syria’s security and the safety of its citizens.
Blinken and King Abdullah also discussed the need for a ceasefire deal in Israel’s war in Gaza that sees hostages released.
Blinken To Visit Turkey
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken will travel to Turkey for talks focused on a critical aspect of establishing stability in Syria: clashes in the north of the country between U.S.-backed Kurdish forces and Turkey-backed rebels.
Blinken is due in Ankara on Thursday after visiting Jordan on his first trip to the region.
He was due to hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday, December 13, 2024.
Washington and Ankara supported Syrian rebels during the 13-year-long civil war, but their interests notably clashed when it came to one of the rebel factions – the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The SDF is the main ally in a U.S. coalition against Islamic State militants.
It is spearheaded by the People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara sees as an extension of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants that it outlaws and that have fought the Turkish state for 40 years.
The U.S. State Department said that Blinken would discuss Syria and ongoing bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and regional stability in his meetings with Turkish officials.
A Turkish official said that Turkey is ready to support Syria as a safe and stable place governed by an inclusive government.
However, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that Fidan would also emphasize Turkey’s sensitivities in the north.
Earlier this week, Turkey-backed forces seized the northern city of Manbij from the U.S.-backed SDF, which then headed east of the Euphrates River. A Syrian opposition source told Reuters the U.S. and Turkey had reached an agreement on the withdrawal.
A Turkish defence ministry official said that the Turkey-backed group’s advance aimed to “clear terrorism.”
The official warned about unspecified efforts to provide cover for the PKK by flagging risks related to Islamic State, adding that Ankara has told Washington that one terrorist group cannot be used to eliminate another.
Blinken said on Monday that Islamic State will try to use this period to re-establish capabilities in Syria, but the United States is determined not to let that happen.
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