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Blinken hosts 4-way Zoom call with Israeli, Indian and UAE foreign ministers
Top diplomats vow to step up regional economic and political cooperation; US again expresses support for expanding Abraham Accords
US Secretary of State State Antony Blinken held a Zoom meeting late Monday with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, the State Department said.
The four top diplomats discussed “expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia, including through trade, combating climate change, energy cooperation, and increasing maritime security,” said State Department spokesman Ned Price, adding that they also discussed expanding scientific cooperation and combatting COVID.
“The Secretary reiterated the Biden Administration’s support for the Abraham Accords and normalization agreements and discussed future opportunities for collaboration in the region and globally,” he said, referring to deals signed last year between Israel and four Arab nations.
Blinken later tweeted that the discussions focused on “shared issues of concern in the region and globally, and the importance of expanding our economic and political collaboration.”
Jaishankar is currently visiting Israel, while Blinken also held meetings last week in Washington with Lapid and bin Zayed.
On Sunday Jaishankar lauded the business relationship between his country and Israel, saying at a meeting with CEOs and government officials that India regards Israel “in many ways as perhaps our most trusted and innovative partner.”
A fruitful first meeting with Israeli APM and FM @YairLapid, UAE FM @ABZayed and US Secretary of State @SecBlinken this evening.
Discussed working together more closely on economic growth and global issues. Agreed on expeditious follow-up. pic.twitter.com/kVgFM0r6hs
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 18, 2021
“The degree of trust between us is very high,” he said.
Jaishankar landed in Israel earlier in the day, ahead of his meetings on Monday with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, President Isaac Herzog, Lapid, and Energy Minister Karine Elharrar.
India’s foreign minister will be in Israel until October 21.
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