US officials engaged in direct dialogue with HTS, Blinken says
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Washington has outlined its expectations for Syria’s political transition to various actors.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a statement to the press after the meeting with the foreign ministers of the Arab Contact Group on Syria in Jordan's southern city of Aqaba on December 14, 2024 (AFP)
Senior diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union, and Arab nations have reached a consensus that any new government in Syria must uphold minority rights, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Saturday.
The statement follows discussions in Jordan and direct engagement with opposition groups responsible for ousting President Bashar al-Assad.
Speaking at a press conference, Blinken highlighted the agreement on a joint communiqué, which underscores the need for an inclusive, representative government that safeguards minority rights and avoids serving as "a base for terrorist groups."
"Today's agreement sends a unified message to the new interim authority and parties in Syria on the principles crucial to securing much needed support and recognition," he said.
US engaged in direct dialogue with HTS
Additionally, Blinken revealed that US officials have engaged in direct dialogue with the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, urging it and other opposition factions to assist in locating Austin Tice, an American journalist abducted in Syria in 2012.
He added that Washington has outlined its expectations for Syria’s political transition to various actors.
The meeting, hosted in al-Aqaba, Jordan, included representatives from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. The gathering excluded Russia and Iran, al-Assad’s primary allies, and did not feature a Syrian representative.
Arab diplomats issued a separate statement advocating for a peaceful, inclusive political transition that paves the way for elections and a new constitution.
During the talks, Arab officials sought Turkey’s assurances of supporting these goals and preventing Syria’s division along sectarian lines, according to Reuters.
Turkey and the United States, both NATO allies, hold divergent interests regarding certain militant factions. In northern Syria, Turkish-backed groups have engaged in clashes with the Kurdish-led US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
The SDF is predominantly led by the People's Defense Units (YPG), which Ankara regards as an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey.
During his recent visit to Ankara, Blinken urged Turkish leaders to ensure ISIS does not regroup and that the SDF remain focused on securing camps holding ISIS fighters. Turkish officials reportedly concurred, according to a US delegation representative.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated that eliminating the US-backed People's Defense Units (YPG) remains a strategic goal for Ankara, calling on the group’s leaders to withdraw from Syria.
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