WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Jordan and Turkey Wednesday to rally regional countries around an aligned vision for Syria’s future following the ousting of longtime authoritarian ruler Bashar al-Assad.
Blinken will travel to Aqaba, Jordan, and Ankara, Turkey, and meet leaders to discuss developments in Syria, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and across the region, said the U.S. State Department.
A spokesperson said Blinken aims to secure consensus among regional leaders on key principles for Syria’s post-Assad transition. He said these include full respect for minority rights, the facilitation of humanitarian aid, the prevention of Syria becoming a haven for terrorism or a threat to its neighbors, and the securing and safe destruction of chemical or biological weapons stockpiles.
Blinken has said that the United States will recognize a Syrian government that upholds those principles.
The spokesperson said that in Aqaba, Blinken will meet with senior Jordanian officials to discuss bilateral issues, highlight the U.S.-Jordan strategic partnership, and reaffirm U.S. support for regional stability.
In Ankara, Blinken will engage with senior Turkish officials to strengthen bilateral cooperation on shared priorities, including counterterrorism and regional stability, with NATO ally Turkey.
On Tuesday, Blinken held talks with counterparts from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt, where he reiterated the need for a Syrian-led transition.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, or OPCW, will hold an emergency session to address the situation in Syria. The OPCW — the implementing body for the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention — said it is monitoring Syria with “special attention” to chemical weapons sites and has reminded the country of its duty to declare and destroy all banned weapons.
The U.S. State Department said it will await the session’s outcome to determine the next steps.
Also, U.S. President Joe Biden will join leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrial nations in a virtual summit on Friday to discuss Syria and other pressing issues in the Middle East.
Last Sunday, Syrian rebel groups toppled the Assad regime after a swift offensive of under two weeks, ending a decadeslong reign of brutal oppression.
While many Syrians celebrate Assad’s departure, uncertainty looms over the nation’s future. The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant faction among opposition forces, is rapidly consolidating power. At the same time, foreign actors are vying for influence with the nascent government or seeking to limit its potential as a security threat.
Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war claimed 500,000 lives and displaced half of its 23 million prewar population. Millions of Syrians fled to neighboring countries such as Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Lebanon, with many continuing their journey to Europe in search of safety.
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