U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the United States on what they would like to see in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad.
“There’s broad agreement on what we would each like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in Syria; one that is inclusive and non-sectarian; one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbours,” Blinken said during joint statements with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their policy or stance on Israel, whose military in recent days has bombed sites all over the country, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands.
Blinken also said it was imperative to continue with efforts to the keep the Islamic State group under control.
“We also discussed the imperative of continuing the efforts to keep ISIS down. Our countries worked very hard and gave a lot over many years to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS to ensure that that threat doesn’t rear its head again,” Blinken said.
The Turkish foreign minister said the two had discussed ways of establishing prosperity in Syria and ending terrorism in the country.
“Our priority is establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant,” Fidan said, in reference to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party.
Blinken said: “We’re very focused on Syria, very focused on the opportunity that now is before us and before the Syrian people to move out from under the shackles of Bashar al-Assad to a different and better future for the Syrian people, one that the Syrian people decide for themselves.”
Blinken and Fidan said they had also discussed a ceasefire for Gaza.
“What we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks are more encouraging signs that (a ceasefire) is possible,” Blinken said.
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