UPDATE - Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan meets US Secretary of State Blinken in New York

ADDS STATE DEPARTMENT STATEMENT

By Iclal Turan

NEW YORK (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday in New York, discussing a range of issues, including bilateral relations and the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

The closed-door meeting occurred at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly.

According to diplomatic sources, the meeting involved an exchange of views on "concrete and constructive steps" that can be taken in the near future to enhance the relations between the two countries.

Additionally, the discussion encompassed topics such as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Sweden's NATO membership, and the recent developments in Karabakh.

The meeting lasted for 35 minutes.

In a statement, State Department said Blinken met with Fidan "to emphasize the importance of the U.S.-Türkiye relationship and express his strong support for increased economic and bilateral collaboration".

Blinken also underscored the necessity of ratifying Sweden’s NATO accession as soon as possible, Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in the statement.

The US diplomat thanked Türkiye for its ongoing efforts to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative and "encouraged support for efforts to end hostilities and prevent a deterioration of the humanitarian situation" in Karabakh, said Miller.

*Tugce Akgun and Serife Cetin contributed to the story