US envoy to UN to visit Türkiye 'in the coming days'

WASHINGTON

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield will travel to Türkiye "in the coming days," the US mission said Tuesday.

She will receive briefings on the support provided by the UN and its partner agencies to meet the dire humanitarian needs in Syria, according to a statement.

"Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will meet with Syrian refugees in Turkey to hear about their experiences first-hand. The Ambassador will meet with NGO partners and United Nations agencies’ representatives, who are working to provide lifesaving food and other assistance to Syrians who otherwise would be without (it)," said the statement.

Thomas-Greenfield will also meet with senior Turkish officials to discuss Türkiye's crucial role in the facilitation of cross-border assistance and its protection of millions of Syrian refugees.

"Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield’s visit comes during crucial conversations at the United Nations about continuing and expanding the UN’s ability to provide essential cross-border humanitarian aid to millions of Syrians in desperate need," said the statement.

"The United States is firmly committed to implementation of all aspects of Resolution 2585, and strongly supports expanding humanitarian access in Syria through all modalities, including the cross-border aid mechanism," it added.

The envoy was scheduled to visit Türkiye's southern border in early May but later postponed it.

In an interview with Anadolu Agency earlier this month, the US envoy said that with the visit, she wanted to update herself "on the situation at the border so that I am in a better position to defend keeping this border open."