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Fight against Islamic state

Russian, French defense ministers discuss fight against terrorism, Syria, Iraq and Libya

The sides stated the existence of a common enemy, Islamic State, and confirmed readiness to jointly fight against it

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu

© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

MOSCOW, December 21./TASS/. Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu received on Monday his visiting counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, the Defense Ministry’s department for information and press service reports.

"The main attention in their hour-and-a-half -long conversation, held in a businesslike and sincere atmosphere, was put on prospects to coordinate efforts of the two countries’ military departments in fight against international terrorism," the ministry said.

The meeting was held in pursuance of the agreements reached by the Russian and French president at their meeting in Moscow on November 26, 2015.

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The sides stated the existence of a common enemy, Islamic State, and confirmed readiness to jointly fight against it. Shoigu said that only a joint effort of all interested countries could remove terrorist threats for the residents of Paris, Moscow, London and other European cities.

The two ministers also thoroughly discussed the current situation in Syria and Iraq. The French military delegation familiarized itself with the main results of the air operation that Russia carries out in Syria.

An agreement was reached to continue contacts at the level of the general staffs of the Russian and French armed forces. With this in view, the French Chief of the Defense Staff, General Pierre de Villiers, will visit Moscow shortly.

The ministers also discussed Libya, stating concurrence of their views on the situation in the country and expressing concern over growing activity of Islamic State - outlawed in Russia - in the North African region.

Shoigu invited his counterpart to attend a fifth Moscow conference on international security, scheduled for the end of April. Fight against international terrorism will be one of its focal points.

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France Sergey Shoigu Islamic State

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