US affirms support for inclusive, Syrian-led political transition
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Washington supports a future government in Syria chosen by all Syrians.
"At today’s Aqaba Meetings on Syria in Jordan, we talked about the need for an inclusive, Syrian-led political transition. The United States supports a future government in Syria that is chosen by and representative of all Syrians," Blinken stated on X.
On Saturday, Blinken mentioned that senior diplomats from the US, Turkiye, the European Union, and Arab countries agreed that "the new Syrian government must respect minority rights," confirming that US officials had "direct contact" with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and urged them and other opposition groups to help locate American journalist Austin Tice, who was detained in Syria in 2012.
He noted that the US also shared its vision for the transitional phase in Syria with relevant actors in the country.
The final statement of the meeting of foreign ministers from the Arab Ministerial Contact Group on Syria emphasized "standing by the brotherly Syrian people, providing all assistance and support, and respecting their will and choices."
The statement also stressed "the immediate cessation of all military operations, providing the humanitarian support needed by the Syrian people, committing to enhancing counter-terrorism efforts and preventing its threat to Syria's security, the region, and the world, and considering its defeat a priority."
The statement included "the necessity of preserving state institutions and enhancing their capacity, condemning Israel's incursion into the buffer zone with Syria and adjacent sites in Mount Hermon and the provinces of Quneitra and Damascus countryside."
It also called for "a comprehensive national dialogue and the unity of the Syrian people to build a free, safe, stable, and unified state."
The statement concluded by "supporting the role of the UN envoy to Syria, working to establish a UN mission to assist Syria, and supporting a comprehensive Syrian-led political transition."
