ATLANTA, October 31 (ANI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that India and Turkey have proposed ideas to facilitate the passage of grain-carrying vessels through the Black Sea amid strikes linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Speaking to reporters as he hosted the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta, Rubio said that ensuring the passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz was even more challenging. He noted that the United States had received limited cooperation in the region despite President Donald Trump’s calls for other countries to join Washington’s efforts.
Rubio said, “When you talk about the Black Sea, you saw a lot of countries speak up and express their willingness to contribute. Both Turkey and India have come to the table with some ideas about how we can get grain shipments moving because this is threatening global food security and, to some extent, energy security as well.”
“In the case of the Strait of Hormuz, it’s more challenging, because many countries around the world don’t have the ability to project power in the region. The President has repeatedly asked countries to join us in the effort to protect global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. So far, we’ve had very limited cooperation, but not much. The responsibility has primarily fallen on the United States to protect shipping,” he added.
Rubio also highlighted territorial claims over waterways in the Indo-Pacific region as another maritime security challenge.
He said, “Obviously, in the Indo-Pacific, we don’t have active kinetic operations taking place like those we’re seeing in the Strait of Hormuz or even in the Black Sea. But we do face some challenges, including territorial claims that we do not recognize. That’s why you see us not only maintaining a presence in that part of the world but also operating jointly and cooperatively with our partners to continue making it clear that we do not accept illegitimate territorial claims over waterways that are either international waters or not the territorial waters of any single nation.”
The United States and Iran have exchanged strikes amid a blockade of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. While Iran continues to target commercial vessels, the United States reportedly struck two fishing boats off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, injuring two Iranian fishermen.
According to Iranian news agency IRNA, the two fishermen who went missing after the drone attack have been found, the CEO of the Qeshm Fishing Community said. Both were returned to Qeshm Island.
Meanwhile, one of the injured fishermen was taken to a hospital, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Fars news agency.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said that the situation in the Black Sea would be on the agenda during his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Separately, Quad foreign ministers on Saturday called for preserving navigational rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait amid tensions in West Asia. (ANI)
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