US Ambassador to UN postpones Turkey trip; will visit Brussels on May 9

The US mission to the UN informed that the American Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has postponed her plan to visit Turkey.

The US envoy to the United Nations will travel to Brussels on May 9-10 to lead the US delegation at a conference.

"US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield's planned trip to Turkey on May 9 has been postponed," the US mission said in a Saturday statement, adding that "Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will continue to travel as planned to Brussels May 9-10 to lead the United States delegation to the 'Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region, Brussels VI Conference', chaired by the European Union."

During her visit to Brussels, Thomas-Greenfield is likely to highlight America's commitment to supporting Syrians, as per the statement.

"On the margins of the Brussels VI Conference, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will host a ministerial meeting to discuss the future of international support for the Syrian political process and the importance of accountability for human rights violations and other abuses. She will also meet with NATO and EU officials in Brussels to discuss Ukraine and other shared transatlantic priorities," the US mission said. The US mission on Friday announced that the US ambassador was supposed to visit Turkey via the Bab al-Hawa border crossing to take a brief on UN humanitarian efforts in Syria. 

Earlier, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said the world must remain focused on achieving a comprehensive political solution to the ongoing conflict in Syria. He mentioned that Syria is "a hot conflict, not a frozen one," and that there are several threats that are erupting due to the conflict, including the threat of terrorism, international attacks, airstrikes, and intensified clashes in the northeast. "My message today is simple: focus on Syria," said Mr. Pedersen, speaking from Geneva.

(Image: AP)