JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Arab allies are promising to “do their share” to fight Islamic State militants.
Secretary of State John Kerry met in Saudi Arabia today with his counterparts from 10 Arab states. In a joint statement following the session, Saudi Arabia, other Gulf states, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon pledged to stand against terrorism. They promised steps including stopping the flow of fighters and funding, repudiating the Islamic State group’s ideology, providing humanitarian aid and joining in a coordinated military campaign.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal (sah-OOD’ ahl fy-ZAHL’) says coalition members agreed to share responsibilities for fighting the Islamic State group, as well as to “be serious and continuous” in efforts to eliminate all such terrorist organizations.
Turkey also attended the meeting, but the NATO member refused to sign the final communique. Ankara has been reluctant to take a prominent role in the coalition, in part out of concern for the 49 Turkish citizens who were kidnapped from the Turkish consulate in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul when it was overrun by Islamic State fighters in June.
%@AP Links
204-a-14-(Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Al Khalifa (kha-LEED ahl-kha-LEE’-fah), at meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry)-“try our best”-Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Al Khalifa voices his support for Secretary of State John Kerry’s willingness to act on the threat posed by the Islamic State group. (11 Sep 2014)
<
160-a-04-(Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking to reporters with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal)–Secretary of State John Kerry, visiting Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, says he’s eager to meet with officials from across the Gulf Arab region as well as envoys from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey, to press his case for greater regional support to tackle the Islamic State group. (11 Sep 2014)
<
APPHOTO CAIHK110: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry leaves after a group photo taken following a meeting with Gulf states and other Middle East countries in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Kerry’s visit, on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, was aimed at pinning down Middle Eastern allies on what support they are willing to give to U.S. plans to beat back the Islamic State group, which has seized large chunks of Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (11 Sep 2014)
<
APPHOTO CAIHK106: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, center left in blue suit, and other officials wait for a meeting of the Gulf Arab region at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Kerry sought to pin down Middle Eastern allies gathering in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on what support they are willing to give to the new U.S. plan to beat back the Islamic State group that has seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (11 Sep 2014)
<
APPHOTO CAIHK103: Oman Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, right, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talk before a meeting of the Gulf Arab region at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Kerry sought to pin down Middle Eastern allies gathering in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on what support they are willing to give to the new U.S. plan to beat back the Islamic State group that has seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (11 Sep 2014)
<
APPHOTO CAIHK102: Oman’s Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, left, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talk before a meeting of the Gulf Arab region at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Kerry sought to pin down Middle Eastern allies gathering in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on what support they are willing to give to the new U.S. plan to beat back the Islamic State group that has seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (11 Sep 2014)
<
APPHOTO CAI113: Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, also known as GCC, speaks during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, at the Royal Terminal of the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Kerry arrived in Saudi Arabia, on Thursday to try to persuade officials from across the Mideast and Turkey to put aside longstanding rivalries to more vigorously pursue the Islamic State — and, in doing so, ward off a threat that has put the entire region at risk. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool) (10 Sep 2014)
< Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
