Blinken and Jordan king agree on need for secure Syria

Blinken, who will head later Thursday to Turkey, has called for an "inclusive" process to form Syria's next government that includes protections for minorities after Islamist-led rebels ended the repressive rule of Assad, a member of the Alawite community. Meeting King Abdullah in the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, Blinken, who leaves office in little more than a month, promised US support for "the stability of Syria's neighbours, including Jordan, during this period of transition", State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.