US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with senior Turkish officials in Istanbul before heading to Greece, his first stop on a weeklong trip aimed at calming tensions that have soared across the Middle East since it began. Israel’s war against Gaza in October.
In his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Blinken “emphasized the need to prevent the conflict from spreading, secure the release of hostages, expand humanitarian assistance, and reduce civilian casualties,” the department spokesperson said Saturday. of State of the United States, Matthew Miller.
Blinken also highlighted the need to work toward a broader, lasting regional peace that guarantees Israel’s security and advances the establishment of a Palestinian state, Miller added.
“In Turkey, we are focused broadly on what Turkey can do, using its influence and its ties, to help prevent the conflict in the Middle East from spreading,” Blinken said, speaking to reporters in Crete on Saturday night.
“We also talked about the role Turkey can play, both in the next day for Gaza, in terms of the challenging issues of Palestinian-led governance, security and reconstruction, as well as the work it can do to try to produce more long-lasting peace and security in the region.”
Erdogan, a fierce critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, had skipped a meeting with Blinken when the US diplomat visited Ankara in November because of Washington’s strong support for Israel’s attack on Gaza.
On Saturday, Blinken also met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with discussions focusing on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said.
In his conversation with Blinken, Fidan noted Israel’s escalating aggression and said it represents a threat to the entire region. He also stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, allowing for the permanent delivery of aid, and stressed the need to return to two-state solution negotiations as soon as possible, the ministry added.
Minister of Foreign Affairs @HakanFidan He met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Vahdettin mansion in Istanbul.
At the meeting, the Ministers discussed the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Sweden’s accession process to NATO and bilateral and regional issues. 🇹🇷🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/UvHbV5YoDs
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye (@MFATurkiye) January 6, 2024
‘De-escalation’
The United States’ strained relationship with Turkey predates the current war, and the two nations also feud over foreign policy issues ranging from NATO to Iraq.
Ankara is frustrated by the delay in the US Congress’ approval of a $20 billion deal for 40 F-16 fighter jets. Washington is waiting for Turkey to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO.
On Saturday, Blinken and Fidan addressed Ankara’s process to ratify Sweden’s NATO membership, according to officials on both sides. Blinken said they had discussed the “final steps of the process.”
US officials are confident Ankara will soon approve Sweden’s accession after it won backing from the Turkish parliament last month, a senior State Department official traveling with Blinken told Reuters news agency.
As part of Blinken’s multi-country tour, he traveled from Turkey to the island of Crete to meet with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Saturday. NATO member Greece is awaiting approval from the US Congress for the sale of F-35 fighter jets.
After Greece, Blinken’s tour in the coming days will include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and the occupied West Bank, where he will deliver a message that Washington does not want a regional escalation of the Gaza conflict. . Blinken also hopes to advance talks on how Gaza could be governed if Israel achieves its goal of eradicating Hamas.
Blinken’s trip has “three main messages,” said Mahjoob Zweiri, a professor of Gulf studies at Qatar University: conflict reduction; the humanitarian crisis; and what happens the day after the war ends.
“Washington does not seem to be happy with the Netanyahu government’s statements regarding population displacement. They seem to want to put pressure on Netanyahu, especially when London, Paris and Germany say that the status quo in Gaza should not be changed,” Zweiri told Al Jazeera.
Blinken has said Washington wants countries in the region, including Turkey, to play a role in reconstruction, governance and potentially security in the Gaza Strip, ruled by Hamas since 2007.
At least 22,722 people have been killed and 58,166 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll from the October attack on Israel stands at 1,139 people.
