DUSHANBE, January 19, 2015, Asia-Plus – International media sources report that British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will co-host a meeting of members of the coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) group in London on Thursday, January 22.
According to AFP, the one-day talks will involve foreign ministers from about 20 countries, including Arab states, to discuss progress so far on tackling the group which occupies swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria.
A British official reportedly confirmed the meeting will take place at Lancaster House in central London, a fortnight after deadly attacks in Paris by three gunmen claiming to act on behalf of Al-Qaeda and the ISIS group.
The Daily Telegraph
quoted Hammond as saying, “This will be an important opportunity to take stock and assess the progress made so far in our joint efforts to tackle [ISIS’s] poisonous ideology.”
“The key active partners in the coalition, including our Arab partners, will gather in London to decide what more we need to do to degrade and defeat [ISIS],” he added.
“It”s vital that we consider what more we can all do to tackle the issue of foreign fighters, to clamp down on [ISIS”s] financing, to step up humanitarian assistance and continue our coordinated military campaign.”
AFP reports discussions at Thursday’s meeting will focus on five areas — foreign fighters, the military campaign against ISIS targets, its sources of finances, strategic communications and humanitarian assistance.
