Turkey- John Kerry to travel to Europe Middle East
Date
10/21/2015 3:16:43 AM
(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Europe and the Middle East from beginning Wednesday amid a deepening conflict between Palestinian youth and Israeli forces.
“While traveling throughout the region Secretary Kerry will also consult with key partners and allies on global issues including the Middle East violence and security challenges the ongoing crisis in Syria combating the continuing threat posed by ISIL and Ukraine” said State Department spokesman John Kirby.
He declined to provide specifics on locations and times for the four-day trip but said Kerry may have two stops in Europe and at least one in the Middle East.
Kirby said Kerry expects to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Kerry’s travel takes place at a time when the conflict between Palestinian youth and Israeli forces has peaked.
The U.S.’s top diplomat’s trip to the region is also an attempt to pave the way for a political solution in Syria and Kerry will also meet some of his counterparts in the region to discuss Syria.
“We expect there will be a multilateral meeting on Syria. The exact again specifics of it and participants we're still working out” Kirby said. “Right now I think it's looking more like Russia the United States Turkey and Saudi Arabia.”
Jordanian foreign minister may also attend the meeting on Syria according to Kirby.
American officials have long said Bashar al-Assad has lost his legitimacy as Syria’s president and the U.S. seeks a solution in Syria that would exclude him.
Turkey Saudi Arabia and Jordan sides with the U.S. but Moscow has been reluctant to endorse any solution that excludes its ally Assad.
The five-year-old civil war in Syria has killed more than 250000 victims and displaced more than 10 million others – constituting about half of the population.
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