US Secretary of State wants to ease tensions in the Middle East
(Baonghean.vn) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the leaders of Türkiye and Greece on January 6 at the start of a week-long trip aimed at easing tensions that have soared across the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out last October.
The Biden administration's most senior diplomat kicked off the trip with a stop in Istanbul, meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who has been a vocal critic of Israel's military actions in Gaza.
During the talks, Mr. Blinken "stressed the need to prevent the conflict from spreading, ensure the release of hostages, expand humanitarian assistance and minimize civilian casualties," said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
Mr. Blinken also stressed the need to work toward a broader, lasting regional peace that ensures Israel's security and promotes the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Secretary Blinken and his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan had discussed Gaza, as well as Ankara's progress in ratifying Sweden's membership in the NATO military alliance. A senior State Department official traveling with Mr. Blinken, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said U.S. officials were disappointed by the lengthy process but were confident Ankara would soon approve Sweden's membership after it won the support of the Turkish parliament last month.
US lawmakers have delayed the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye until it signs off on Stockholm's NATO membership.
Secretary Blinken then traveled to Crete to meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Greece is awaiting congressional approval for the sale of F-35 fighter jets. Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told Greek television station Skai: “We will discuss this. I think there will be positive developments.”
Mr Blinken's trip will include Arab states, Israel and the occupied West Bank, where he will deliver the message that Washington does not want the Gaza conflict to escalate in the region. US officials said Turkey has ties to multiple sides in the conflict, referring to its ties with US rival Iran and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Unlike the US, Türkiye does not consider Hamas a terrorist group and has accepted some of its members.
