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Added on the 19/04/2024 13:25:25 - Copyright : AFPTV - First images
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that China can play a role in reducing tensions in the Middle East, including through its influence with Iran. "I think the relationships that China has can be positive in trying to calm tensions, to prevent escalation, avoid the spread of the conflict," Blinken told reporters, saying Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed to stay in contact on the Middle East. SOUNDBITE
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urges both Israel and the Palestinians to lower tensions and calls for an immediate end to rocket fire by Hamas. "All sides need to de-escalate, reduce tensions, take practical steps to calm things down," Blinken says as he meets his Jordanian counterpart in Washington. SOUNDBITE
The United States has not been "not involved in any offensive operations", US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says following reports that Israel had carried out revenge strikes on Iran. "On the first question, the reports that you've seen: I'm not going to speak to that except to say that the United States has not been involved in any offensive operations", Blinken tells a journalist at a press conference on the Italian island of Capri, adding that the G7 is focused on its "work to de-escalate from any potential conflict" in the Middle East. IMAGES
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accuses China of "fuelling" Russia's invasion of Ukraine through the transfers of dual use materials and weapons components from Chinese businesses to Russia for use in Moscow's military expansion. "If China purports on the one hand to want good relations with Europe and other countries, it can't on the other hand be fuelling what is the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War," Blinken tells a press conference after a meeting of G7 foreign ministers on the Italian island of Capri where he had urged urged his European counterparts to increase pressure on Beijing. SOUNDBITE
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reiterates his desire to see "calm heads prevail" in the Middle East, following reports that Israel carried out a retaliatory strike on Iran. "Significant escalation is not in anyone's interest," he says during questions after delivering an unrelated speech, adding: "What we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region." SOUNDBITE