Blinken confirms direct contact with Syria’s rebel leaders

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that the U.S. has made direct contact with Syria’s Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) rebels, as they transition from a militant insurgency toward a more legitimate governing authority.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday that the U.S. has made direct contact with Syria’s Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) rebels, as they transition from a militant insurgency toward a more legitimate governing authority.

“We’ve been in contact with HTS and with other parties,” Blinken said after talks in Aqaba, Jordan, with diplomats and representatives from several Arab nations. 

The U.S. designates HTS a terrorist organization, making it legally impossible to work with the group, but contact underscores ongoing efforts to change that designation as the U.S. and its allies look to support Syria's transition from Assad rule.

In a joint statement released after the meeting, the governments of the U.S., Turkey, E.U., and Arab Countries called for a “a more hopeful, secure and peaceful future” in Syria, stressing respect for women and minorities, and preventing “the reemergence of all terrorist groups.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Jordan Saturday.ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP - Getty ImagesThe statement stressed that "the transitional political process must be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned; produce an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/blinken-syria-rebels-hts-austin-tice-rcna184285

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