US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday (December 12) that Syrian civilians must be protected after Turkey-backed Islamists overthrew the government in Damascus. Mr. Blinken met for more than an hour on Thursday evening in a lounge at Ankara airport with Mr. Erdogan, who had just seen the Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister, Viktor Orban.
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The head of American diplomacy reiterated that it is important that all actors in Syria respect human rights, international humanitarian law and take all possible measures to protect civilians, including members of minority groups ” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Antony Blinken also insisted to the Turkish head of state on the “ need to ensure that the coalition (established) to defeat ISIS [le groupe État islamique, ndlr] can continue to fulfill its crucial mission », added Mr. Miller.
“ Turkish President @RTErdogan and I discussed regional security and political transition in Syria today. The transition must be Syrian-led, inclusive of all Syrians, protect civilian life and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need », Wrote Antony Blinken on the social network
Turkey, for its part, highlights its security concerns in connection with the situation in Syria, where it is fighting a Kurdish-led force that Washington supports for their key role in the fight against IS jihadists.
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Speaking before his departure for Turkey during a stopover in Jordan, the American Secretary of State recognized the “ real and clear interests » from Ankara concerning the fighters of the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party).
“ At the same time, again, we want to avoid triggering any type of additional conflict inside Syria “, he then confided to journalists.
“ At a time when we want to see this transition to an interim government, to a better path for Syria, we must also ensure that (the group) Islamic State does not re-emerge. And SDSs are essential to ensure this doesn’t happen », Said Mr. Blinken.
The SDF controls large areas of northern Syria, where Syrian Kurds have established an autonomous administration.
But, allies of the West in the fight against IS, the FDS are considered by Turkey to be an emanation of the PKK, considered by Ankara to be a terrorist organization.
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Mr. Blinken, who will leave office next month after Donald Trump’s election victory, called for a process ” inclusive » to form the next Syrian government, with respect for all communities.
The former Syrian president was ousted from power on Sunday by a coalition of Islamist rebels, spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a former branch of Al-Qaeda. A Prime Minister in charge of the transition, Mohammad al-Bashir, was subsequently appointed, promising the establishment of a “ Rule of law “.
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