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Fight against Islamic state

French leader to shortly meet with Obama, Putin to discuss action against IS

"France is at war with Islamists that threaten not only our country, but the whole world," Hollande said, noting the task to destroy Islamic State was the task for the whole international community

© AP Photo/Michel Euler

PARIS, November 16./TASS/. French President Francois Hollande said on Monday he would meet with the US and Russian leaders, Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, within the next few days to discuss joint action against terrorism.

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Putin: International anti-terror coalition still possible

Effort of all countries that are fighting Islamic State must be united these days within the framework of a big coalition, Hollande said at an emergency congress of both houses of the French parliament.

"It is within this context that I will meet with President Obama and President Putin in the coming few days to join our effort and achieve results," the French leader said.

Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Francois Hollande of France may have talks in the days to come, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS on Monday.

"It [the meeting between the two presidents] may take place before the Paris climate change conference. A possibility of such a meeting and its date are being coordinated," he said.

Hollande said France was open for a dialogue with all interested parties - Iran, Turkey, Persian Gulf states. He said all these countries were sitting at the negotiating table in Vienna at the moment of the Paris terror attacks.

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Syria has become the biggest center from where terrorism is spreading, and the global community has repeatedly had chances to make sure of that, the French president said.

"France is at war with Islamists that threaten not only our country, but the whole world," Hollande said, noting that the task to destroy Islamic State was the task for the whole international community.

He said with that in view he had appealed to the UN Security Council countries to get together shortly and pass a resolution. "Meanwhile, France intends to boost its operation in Syria," he added.

The French leader confirmed that the official Paris saw IS as its main enemy in Syria, and said that on November 19 the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would leave its home port in France to join the operation in Syria.

On Sunday, French fighter jets ponded the Syrian city of Raqqa seized by Islamic State militants. According to the Defense Ministry, 20 bombs were dropped in the air raid, targeting a command centre of IS that was used as a recruiting center, an ammunition depot as well as a training camp for Islamists.

Islamic State said it carried out chain of deadly attacks in Paris overnight to Saturday, in which at least 129 people were killed.

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Foreign policy Islamic State

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