Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met in Washington with Turkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani, where they explored their countries' perspectives on the possibilities of reinforcing trilateral cooperation.
According to Qatar News Agency, the meeting addressed issues related to the Syrian borders with Israel, the revocation of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, and the situation in Al Suwayda Governorate in southern and northeastern Syria. These discussions underscored the significance of addressing the future of these areas. Fidan highlighted the current focus on lifting the sanctions imposed by the Caesar Act to support Syria's recovery and emphasized maintaining Syria's territorial integrity.
Fidan recalled Turkiye's hosting of a similar meeting in Antalya Province last May, stating that the Washington meeting serves as a continuation of previous dialogues. He also stressed the importance of the US draft resolution in the UN Security Council regarding the establishment of an international force in the Gaza Strip, stating that this force is crucial for implementing the next phases of the ceasefire deal.
Halting the genocide and initiating humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip are core priorities for Turkiye, Fidan noted, emphasizing Turkiye's commitment to discussing the resolution with allied nations, despite not being a member of the UNSC. Turkiye collaborates with allies and the Contact Group on Gaza, formed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, consisting of eight countries with a unified stance.
This meeting follows US media reports from early November indicating that Washington submitted a draft resolution to UNSC members, scheduled for a vote. Fidan mentioned that the resolution outlines the nature and tasks of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) that would operate in the Gaza Strip for an initial period of two years, with potential extensions.
In July, Al Suwayda Governorate experienced armed clashes resulting in hundreds of casualties before a ceasefire deal was implemented on July 19.