RL: Coalition holds key talks in Paris

Day 2,491, 02:23 • Published in Serbia Serbia • by 3xodus

An international summit of foreign ministers is taking place in Paris to discuss a strategy to combat the Islamist State (IS) militant group.

About 40 countries, including 10 Arab states, have signed up to a coalition to help fight IS in Iraq and Syria.

Opening the talks, French President Francois Hollande said the threat was global and the response must be global.

The conference follows a whirlwind tour of the Middle East by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Mr Kerry, who is also attending the summit, has been drumming up support for a plan of action unveiled by President Barack Obama last week.

Iraqi President Fuad Masum, who is co-hosting the conference, said the international community must pursue the jihadists wherever they are.

In his opening remarks, Mr Hollande called for the complete support of moderate rebels in Syria.

"Chaos plays into the terrorist's hands," he said.

"Therefore we have to support those who are able to negotiate and make the necessary compromise in order to preserve the future of Syria, and for France those are the forces of the democratic opposition."

Earlier, France said it had begun surveillance flights over Iraq.

"This very morning, the first reconnaissance flights will be carried out in agreement with the Iraqi and Emirati authorities," Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told French troops on Monday at the Al-Dhafra base in the United Arab Emirates.

Britain revealed in August that Tornado jets and surveillance aircraft were involved in intelligence gathering over Iraq.

Several Arab countries have offered to take part in air strikes on IS fighters in Iraq, US officials say.

Turkey, however, will only allow humanitarian and logistical operations from the Nato air base on its soil.

Mr Kerry said he was "extremely encouraged" by promises of military assistance to tackle the militant group.