Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States will help ensure a strong alliance between the U.S., Britain and the European Union after Britain leaves the 28 nation organization.
The United States "depends on a strong United Kingdom," Kerry said during a joint news conference Tuesday in London with his British counterpart, newly appointed Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
"America is rooting for and will do all we can to try to encourage and assist in the development of the smoothest possible transition and a highly integrated and collaborative UK-EU relationship," Kerry added.
During his trip to London, Kerry and Johnson will meet with European representatives to discuss Syria's five-year-old conflict, which helped inspire the rise of the Islamic State and has contributed to the world's worst refugee crisis.
"We seek those with influence over the Assad regime, including Russia and Iran, to ensure humanitarian access to the besieged areas in line with U.N. Security Council resolutions and commitments made as members of the International Syria Support Group," Johnson said in reference to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Kerry and Johnson will also meet with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the conflict in Yemen.
Kerry's primary reason for visiting London, his first since Britain voted last month to exit the European Union, is to discuss U.S.-British relations with Johnson, who was appointed Britain's foreign minister last week by new Prime Minister Theresa May. Johnson led the Brexit effort.
