US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington is committed to supporting efforts to build a stable and unified Syria, stressing that the country’s future is key to broader regional security.
Speaking at a meeting with the foreign ministers of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, Rubio cited “some unique opportunities” in the region including Syria.
The US Secretary of State added that president Donald Trump “remains committed, not just from a unilateral standpoint of the United States, but also in partnership with (GCC) member states to give Syria every chance possible to build a strong unified state, where the diversity of Syria is respected, but also a place that’s stable”.
“The stability of Syria defines the stability of the region” Rubio said, adding that Syria today has a “historic opportunity” to achieve something that was unimaginable just a few years ago.
The US top diplomat noted that president Trump took a “very bold step” last May, and “we continue to follow up on that and work on it.
The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, stressed the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs.
Al-Budaiwi condemned the repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, and stressed the need to adhere to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.
He noted that Syria’s security and stability are a fundamental pillar of the stability of the region’s security.
