Rubio backed 'inclusive' transition in Syria in talks with Turkish foreign minister

(Patria) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for an inclusive transition in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, in talks with Turkey, the State Department announced on Thursday, reported AFP.

Rubio's comments signal consistency with his predecessor Antony Blinken, who used similar language on a trip to the region last month while calling on Syria's new leaders to protect minority rights and not pose a threat to neighboring countries.

In talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held on Wednesday, Rubio "emphasized the need for an inclusive transition in Syria," said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

Rubio also called to "ensure that a new government prevents Syria from becoming a source of international terrorism and denies foreign malicious actors the ability to exploit Syria's transition for their own goals," Bruce said.

Assad, in alliance with Iran and Russia, ruthlessly suppressed an uprising that broke out in 2011, but was swiftly overthrown last month in a lightning offensive by Turkish-backed rebels previously linked to Al-Qaeda. Turkish-backed fighters are battling Kurdish forces in Syria, who allied with the United States in the fight against ISIS, AFP reports.