“There’s broad agreement on what we would like to see going forward, starting with the interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbours,” Blinken said in joint statements with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

The insurgent groups that toppled Assad in Syria have not made clear their stance on Israel, whose military has recently invaded the buffer zone at the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and bombed sites across the country.

Blinken also said it was crucial to keep the Islamic State group under control.

“We also discussed the imperative of continuing the efforts to keep ISIS down. Our countries worked very hard and gave a lot over many years to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS to ensure that that threat doesn’t rear its head again,” Blinken said.

The Turkish foreign minister said the two discussed ways of establishing prosperity in Syria and ending terrorism in the country.

“Our priority is establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant,” Fidan said, in a reference to the banned Kurdistan Workers Party.

Blinken said: “We’re very focused on Syria, very focused on the opportunity that now is before us and before the Syrian people to move from out from under the shackles of Bashar al-Assad to a different and better future for the Syrian people, one that the Syrian people decide for themselves.”

Blinken also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Thursday and is expected to return to Jordan later Friday for meetings on Saturday with Arab foreign ministers and senior officials from the European Union, the Arab League and the United Nations.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.