Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met on Friday in Ankara to discuss combating terrorism and achieving stability in Syria, jointly calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
“Our priorities include ensuring stability in Syria and preventing the dominance of terrorist organizations such as IS (Islamic State) and the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party),” Fidan stated during a joint press conference with Blinken in the Turkish capital.
Fidan highlighted the alignment between Türkiye and the United States in addressing key regional challenges. He emphasized that their talks centered on exploring solutions to Syria’s ongoing crisis and broader issues affecting the region.
“We agreed that a ceasefire in Gaza should be reached as soon as possible,” Fidan added, underscoring the urgency of halting hostilities.
Blinken acknowledged Türkiye’s influential role in encouraging Hamas to agree to a hostage ceasefire agreement. He noted the shared expectations for an interim government in Syria—one that is inclusive, protects minority rights, rejects extremism, and poses no threats to its neighbors.
“We discussed Gaza, and we discussed, I think, the opportunity to get a ceasefire in place. And what we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks are more encouraging signs that that is possible,” Blinken said.
The two officials also reiterated their commitment to ongoing efforts against the Islamic State group.
Blinken arrived in Ankara on Thursday following a visit to Jordan. Upon his arrival, he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the situation in Syria.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
