Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis today in Crete. The two underscored the strength of the bilateral relationship and shared commitment as NATO Allies to democracy, peace, and prosperity. They discussed the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The Secretary thanked the Prime Minister for Greece’s regional leadership, including its continued support for Ukraine, delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, and for freedom of navigation in the Red Sea through its participation in Operation Prosperity Guardian.
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
Crete, Greece
PRIME MINISTER MITSOTAKIS: Well, Mr. Secretary, it’s a real – it’s a real pleasure to welcome you to our house in Souda Bay, and I can’t really think of a place that better symbolizes the depth of our strategic partnership than this place here on the Island of Crete, and I am very happy to welcome you at a time where I honestly feel that our bilateral relationship is probably at the best it has ever been. These are difficult and challenging times for the region, and it is incredibly important for us to stand by side by side, not just to work to further strengthen the relationship but also to act as Allies and to ensure that peace and stability returns to our troubled region. So again, it’s a real pleasure to welcome you here.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, Prime Minister, I have to tell you I’m really honored both on a professional but also personal level to be welcomed here to your home. I have a lot of Greek friends back in the United States; I know what it means to actually welcome someone to your home. And it means a lot, so thank you for that.
And I also have to agree strongly with you about the relationship between our countries. I’ve been doing this now for 30 years, and I can’t – I was saying to our ambassador, to our wonderful ambassador George Tsunis, that I don’t remember a time when the relationship, the partnership, the friendship between the United States and Greece was stronger. And of course, it goes to the affinity between our people, but it also goes to leadership, and in particular your leadership. We’re grateful for that.
We are standing together facing some of the most acute challenges that we’ve seen. But the fact that we’re standing together, that we’re working together, whether it’s in defense of Ukraine, whether it’s for peace and stability in the Mediterranean, whether it’s dealing with the situation in the Middle East, Gaza, and so many other ways, that’s a tremendous source of strength and reassurance for the United States.
So I know we have a lot to talk about, and really that’s why I’m here. Your voice, your views, your counsel, your partnership mean a lot to the United States. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER MITSOTAKIS: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, everyone.
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matt Miller:
Secretary Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf to consult on a range of global priorities. Secretary Blinken welcomed Algeria to the UN Security Council and reiterated appreciation for the close cooperation on issues before the Council. In this regard, they discussed threats to Red Sea maritime security and the importance of increasing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. The Secretary reiterated the United States’ position that there should be no forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and our commitment to working toward broader, lasting regional peace that ensures Israel’s security and advances the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Office of the Spokesperson
The following text was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Japan, and the Republic of Korea on the occasion of the Trilateral United States-Japan-Republic of Korea Indo-Pacific Dialogue.
Begin Text:
The Governments of the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea convened the inaugural trilateral Indo-Pacific Dialogue in Washington, D.C. on January 5, 2024. Led by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Japanese Deputy Minister/Director-General Kobe Yasuhiro, and Republic of Korea (ROK) Deputy Minister Chung Byung-won, the meeting built upon commitments made during the Trilateral Leaders’ Summit at Camp David hosted by President Joseph Biden on August 18, 2023.
Before beginning their planned discussions, the three partners expressed their condolences for those who lost their lives in the recent earthquake in Ishikawa prefecture.
The representatives of the United States, Japan, and the ROK discussed each country’s Indo-Pacific approach and opportunities for cooperation, with an emphasis on partnership with Southeast Asian and Pacific Island countries. They shared their respective assessments on geopolitical trends shaping the Indo-Pacific, highlighting the need for enhanced trilateral cooperation.
They reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate through regional forums and groupings, including ASEAN, the Friends of the Mekong, the Partners in the Blue Pacific, and the Pacific Islands Forum. They took note of the unique opportunity for trilateral cooperation at the UN in 2024 while the United States, Japan, and the ROK all hold seats on the Security Council. They celebrated the success of the U.S. APEC host year in 2023 and looked forward to cooperating on the ROK’s APEC host year in 2025, and applauded progress made on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity
Additionally, they emphasized the importance of collaborating to enhance regional economic security, resilience, and development, including taking action to combat climate change and engaging with Indo-Pacific partners on issues such as information and communications technology, cybersecurity, and emerging technology, including through the AI Safety Summit and the Global AI Forum hosted by the ROK in 2024. Furthermore, they reiterated their ongoing commitment to trilateral maritime security and law enforcement cooperation in accordance with international law with a focus on support for capacity building in the region.
While focusing on the opportunities for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the partners also noted with concern worrying trends in the region, including the worsening humanitarian, political, and economic crisis in Myanmar. Recalling the publicly announced positions of the three countries regarding the recent dangerous and escalatory behavior supporting unlawful maritime claims by the PRC in the South China Sea, they strongly reiterated their firm commitment to international law, including the freedom of navigation and overflight, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and they opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion anywhere in the waters of the Indo-Pacific. They condemned the DPRK’s continued development of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs, growing military cooperation with Russia, and grave human rights violations and abuses. They reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity in the international community.
Recognizing the increased threat posed by foreign information manipulation, the United States, Japan, and the ROK discussed ways to effectively counter these threats while respecting freedom of expression.
The trilateral Indo-Pacific Dialogue is a new chapter in our countries’ partnership and an important step forward to strengthen and more closely align our policies globally. Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink, Deputy Minister/Director-General Kobe, and Deputy Minister Chung reaffirmed their intent to continue to hold the trilateral dialogue annually and coordinate closely on issues of shared concern in the Indo-Pacific.
End Text.
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today in Istanbul with Türkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Secretary Blinken and President Erdogan spoke about the conflict in Gaza. The Secretary emphasized the need to prevent the conflict from spreading, secure the release of hostages, expand humanitarian assistance and reduce civilian casualties, and work toward broader, lasting regional peace that ensures Israel’s security and advances the establishment of a Palestinian state. Secretary Blinken and President Erdogan also discussed European security priorities, including defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, completing Sweden’s accession to NATO, and strengthening trade and investment between the United States and Türkiye.
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today in Istanbul with Türkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Fidan continued discussions on the conflict in Gaza. The Secretary underscored the need to prevent the conflict from spreading, the importance of increasing humanitarian assistance for Palestinian civilians, and the responsibility of all parties to chart a path forward that achieves lasting security for both Israelis, Palestinians, and the broader region. They also discussed shared priorities as NATO Allies, and the Secretary emphasized the importance of completing the final steps to ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO and addressing sanctions and export control evasion.
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi in Amman. The Secretary thanked King Abdullah II for Jordan’s role and leadership in providing life-saving aid to Palestinians civilians in Gaza. They both agreed to continue close coordination for sustained humanitarian assistance. The Secretary also stressed U.S. opposition to forcible displacement of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza and the critical need to protect Palestinian civilians in the West Bank from extremist settler violence. The Secretary underscored the U.S. commitment to achieving sustained peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
