SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good morning, everyone. As always, it's a great pleasure to see my colleague and my friend, Foreign Minister Safadi. Jordan is an essential partner to the United States in the region on so many issues, and of course a critical partner in trying to provide the support that Palestinians so desperately need in Gaza. And we're working very closely together on maximizing that support, and Jordan's played a remarkable leadership role in doing that. We've had very good and important conversations this week, including this morning, on ending the war in Gaza and charting a path for what comes next. And those conversations will continue, but I think this is a moment of importance and urgency that we're working to seize.
I also had the opportunity to speak to Prime Minister Mikati from Lebanon, and there too we have a sense of real urgency in getting to a diplomatic resolution and the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, such that there can be real security along the border between Israel and Lebanon and people at both sides of the border can have the confidence to be able to return to their homes. And there as well we are intensely engaged and we're working hard to move this forward and get to that diplomatic resolution.
So there is a lot going on, but as always, working closely with Jordan is a critical part in achieving the results that we both want to get.
Ayman.
FOREIGN MINISTER SAFADI: Thank you. Good morning to you all. Dear Tony, good to see you again, and as you said, it is critical that we continue to engage (inaudible). Your leading role is essential for us to be able to get through the nightmare that the region continues to live. We really stand at the brink of a regional war now. The only path to save the region from that is for Israel to stop the aggressions on Gaza, on Lebanon; stop unilateral measures, illegal measures on the West Bank that is also pushing the situation towards the abyss. We want this to end and want to be able to get to a place where we can really talk about achieving a just and lasting peace that will guarantee the security of all.
But we meet at a very, very critical moment. As you mentioned, the humanitarian situation is really difficult (inaudible) in northern Gaza now, where we do see ethnic cleansing taking place, and that has got to stop. In Lebanon, I think the Lebanese Government is clear now it wants to implement Resolution 1701, so that should be implemented and save, again, hundreds, thousands of lives that are being killed. And we see the displacement challenge in Lebanon that is going to challenge all of us as well.
So ultimately I think we are at a moment now where nothing justifies continuation of the wars. The guns have to go silent, diplomacy has to take precedence, and we've got to save the whole region from the abyss of what's going on. As I said, your role is critical, and this is - we continue our engagement with a view to making sure that things do not get any worse. But I think of utmost importance right now as we speak is to address the situation in northern Gaza, where we see the siege on the Kamal Adwan Hospital. Again, nothing justifies that. It's getting worse, unfortunately, every time we meet, not for lack of us trying, but because we do have an Israeli Government that is not listening to anybody, and that has got to stop.
So I hope today we'll be able to continue our conversations, again, in the very frank and open manner in which we always talk. The stakes are too high and it's got to stop. So thank you so much.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary - Minister, Mr. Secretary, do you think that Israel should stop the bombing in Beirut?
STAFF: Thank you, press. Thank you, press. Thank you, press. Thank you, press.
QUESTION: Would that be a - Minister, what do you think?
STAFF: Thank you, press. Thank you, press.
QUESTION: Could we just get one comment? It's a long —
STAFF: Thank you. Thank you, press.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: The most important thing is to drive toward the diplomatic resolution, to get the understandings that are necessary for the full implementation of 1701. And the sooner we're able to do that, the sooner we're able to get a resolution. Meanwhile, we want to make sure - we want to see civilians protected. We want to make sure that the Lebanese Armed Forces are not caught in the crossfire. And certainly we want to make sure that in places like Beirut there is a real effort to make sure that people are not harmed, that civilians are not caught up in this crossfire.
QUESTION: And Minister Safadi —
STAFF: Thank you, press. Thank you, press.
QUESTION: And Minister Safadi, comment?
FOREIGN MINISTER SAFADI: Our position is very, very clear: The aggression on Lebanon has to stop immediately. Nothing justifies its continuation. Lebanon is ready to implement 1701. That will guarantee the security of all. So my short answer is yes, it's got to stop now.
