02 December,2015 06:13 AM IST | | Agencies
On the sidelines of the ongoing Paris climate summit, Barack Obama urges Russia and Turkey to de-escalate their conflict and focus on efforts to resolve Syria's long-running civil war
Barack Obama and Turkish president Recep Erdogan
Paris: Aiming to head off a rift between major Mideast players, President Barack Obama urged Turkey and Russia yesterday to set aside tensions over the downing of a Russian warplane and focus on the common priority of defeating the Islamic State group.
Bonding over âbombing'? Barack Obama (right) speaks to Turkish president Recep Erdogan before a bilateral meeting, in Paris. Pics/PTI
Obama, in a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, vouched for the NATO ally's right to self-defence, and he pledged US commitment "to Turkey's security and its sovereignty."
Yet he emphasised the need for Turkey and Russia to "de-escalate" their conflict and not get distracted from the campaign against IS and efforts to resolve Syria's long-running civil war. "We all have a common enemy. That is ISIL," Obama said, using one of several acronyms for the extremist group.
After IS claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks and shooting down a Russian jet in Egypt, Obama had sought to turn the outrage across Europe into newfound resolve for stepping up the fight against IS.
Rs 200 crore The monetary assistance announced by India at the summit to boost global solar energy generation
