Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 10, 2018
The Secretary’s Special Representative for Syria Engagement Ambassador James Jeffrey and Special Envoy for Syria and Deputy Assistant Secretary Joel Rayburn visited Gaziantep December 8 to meet with U.S. and Turkish military officials, Syrian refugees, civil society actors, and political groups working on Syria. Ambassador Jeffrey and DAS Rayburn visited the site of U.S. and Turkish military rehearsals for joint patrols in fulfillment of the Manbij roadmap and discussed with U.S. and Turkish military officials the importance of the unique military cooperation between the United States and Turkey in resolving the conflict in Syria. They also met with a number of civil society actors, including from NGOs implementing stabilization projects in Syria, and Syrian refugees, where they reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Syrians. Throughout, they discussed issues facing the Syrian diaspora and the necessity for a Syrian-led and -owned political process under U.N. Security Council resolution 2254.
Source: https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/12/287964.htm
