Washington: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday on efforts to reach a Gaza ceasefire and prevent a larger regional conflict, the State Department said.
Blinken, who will depart Sunday, will meet with ministers from the bloc of Gulf Arab states on his first trip to the region.
Blinken will "discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of hostages and how it is Hamas that is standing between the Palestinian people and a ceasefire," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
Blinken will "emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region," he said.
Blinken will discuss "a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel," Miller said.
Miller said Blinken will promote efforts to fight climate change, a key priority for President Joe Biden and sharp contrast with his election rival Donald Trump.
In Saudi Arabia, Blinken will also attend a special session on energy of the World Economic Forum, the gathering of the world's business elite that meets in January in Davos, Switzerland.
