US not involved in the killing of Hamas chief Haniyeh, says Secretary of State Blinken

GAZA CEASEFIRE IS “IMPERATIVE”

Blinken said the imperative of getting a ceasefire remains the best way of bringing down tensions in the Middle East.

“One of the things that we’ve been focused on is trying to make sure that the conflict that emerged in Gaza doesn’t spread, doesn’t go to other places, doesn’t escalate, and we’re going to continue to do that as well,” he added.

“Now again, the best way to bring temperature down everywhere and to put us on a better path is through a ceasefire in Gaza.”

Blinken arrived in Singapore on Tuesday as part of his 18th trip to the Indo-Pacific region. 

“What we’re seeing across the board is something that (US) President Joe Biden was determined to do from day one. And that was to reinvigorate, to – in some cases – even reimagine, but to start by reinvigorating our core alliances and our core partnerships,” he told CNA. 

“Even with everything else that’s going on in other parts of the world, our focus is here, because we see our future, as an Indo-Pacific country ourselves, as very much being with this region.”

Both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee in the Nov 5 presidential election, see the US’ future in the Indo Pacific, said Blinken. 

“When it comes to the Indo Pacific, for us, that’s not only the present, it’s clearly the future,” he said. 

“That’s reflected in what we’re doing now with this intense and sustained engagement these last three-and-a-half years. And I’m convinced that that will be the approach that’s taken in the coming time as well.”