Capitals: Europe and the Arabs - agencies
European Coordinator for Foreign and Security Policies Josep Borrell continues his current visit in the Middle East region. After his visit to Lebanon, which he began last Friday, Borrell is holding talks today in Riyadh with senior officials in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a post on the X website, Luis Bueno, the European Union spokesman in the region, said: Middle East: Today, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, travels to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of his regional tour to strengthen diplomatic efforts regarding peace in the region.
US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, also arrived today, Sunday, in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as part of his Middle Eastern tour, which he began with a visit to Turkey yesterday.
The American "Al Hurra" channel reported that the US Secretary of State is scheduled to visit Qatar, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the West Bank and Israel during his tour, during which he will focus on preventing the expansion of the conflict.
According to what was reported by the Middle East News Agency, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, discussed with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the conflict in the Gaza Strip, and stressed the need to make efforts to prevent the expansion of the conflict and secure the release of detainees.
According to the US State Department website, Blinken stressed with Erdogan - in Istanbul - the importance of enhancing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, reducing civilian casualties, and working to establish a comprehensive and lasting peace. “It guarantees the security of Israel and progress towards the establishment of a Palestinian state,” according to the American statement.
The statement explained that Blinken and Erdogan also discussed European security priorities, including "defending Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, completing Sweden's accession to NATO, as well as enhancing trade and investment between the United States and Turkey."
In the same context, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, began a visit to the Middle East tomorrow, Saturday, during which he will inspect the three peacekeeping missions in the region and consult with various political and security actors.
At a press conference in New York before traveling, Stephanie Tremblay, from the UN Spokesperson's Office, said that the priorities of the visit were to express solidarity and support for peacekeepers, troop-contributing countries, other partners, and the communities the organization serves. She noted that Mr. Lacroix makes such visits regularly, but that this visit takes place during “particularly difficult times.”
The Under-Secretary-General arrived in Syria to meet with the leadership of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and peacekeepers, as well as senior government officials in Damascus.
Then, on Tuesday, Lacroix will move to Beirut, where he will meet with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and other officials to inform them of the operations of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). He will then meet with the leadership of UNIFIL, peacekeeping forces and the Lebanese Armed Forces in Naqoura in southern Lebanon.
The UN official will conclude his tour in Jerusalem, where he will visit the headquarters of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization and will also meet with Israeli government and military officials.