Erdogan-Blinken discuss Gaza and Sweden
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the Gaza conflict and European security priorities, including Sweden’s NATO integration, during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday.
The State Department’s statement highlighted Blinken’s emphasis on preventing conflict escalation, securing hostages’ release, expanding humanitarian aid, reducing civilian casualties and working towards a lasting regional peace that ensures Israel’s security and promotes a Palestinian state.
Additionally, discussions with Erdogan covered European security priorities, such as defending Ukraine’s sovereignty, completing Sweden’s NATO accession, and boosting trade and investments between the US and Turkey.
Turkish President @RTErdogan and I discussed the conflict in Gaza, shared security priorities as NATO Allies, and desire to expand our bilateral trade and investment. pic.twitter.com/0CgLT5IBa8
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 6, 2024
Blinken also met with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.
Later on Saturday, Blinken visited Hania, Crete for a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. On the agenda were Gaza, Ukraine, Greek-Turkish relations and defense matters.
Blinken’s tour includes Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean countries amid concerns about Gaza’s war expansion. The tour spans Israel, the West Bank, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Blinken’s fourth visit in three months to the region comes as developments in Lebanon, northern Israel, the Red Sea and Iraq have put intense strains on what had been a modestly successful US push to prevent a regional conflagration since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, and as international criticism of Israel’s military operation mounts.
[Kathimerini/AP]
