U.S. urges North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies to intensify anti-Daesh attacks

British Prime Minister David Cameron says there are as many as 70,000 moderate opposition fighters in Syria ready to take on Islamic State with the help of foreign air strikes, an assertion opponents of the bombing campaign have questioned.

Another backdrop to the meeting is rising tensions between Russia and Turkey, which have been steadily spiraling downward since Turkey shot down a Russian military jet along the Syrian border.

Montenegro’s prime minister said Wednesday’s invitation represented the most important day for the country since its independence referendum nine years ago.

Stoltenberg said he was looking into ways of reviving communication in the NATO-Russia Council, as sought by countries like Germany, though he said “this is not about going to business as usual” – insisting the alliance is still very much at odds with Russia over its annexation of Crimea and alleged violations of a deal struck in Minsk, Belarus, aimed at peace in Ukraine.

As Washington’s interests in Syria, where Daesh is wreaking havoc, are “diametrically opposed” to those of Moscow, Secretary of State John Kerry’s praise for Russia’s engagement against the Takfiris mean “exactly the opposite”, an analyst says.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry centre, reacts to stepping off a low platform as he stands with from left, OSCE Chairman Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, OSCE Parliamentary President Ilkka Kanerva, of Finland, and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors, also of Finland, as diplomats gather for a OSCE Ministerial Council group photo in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015. Turkey and the USA say the plane crossed into Turkish territory from Syria. The anger ratcheted up another notch Thursday, when Russian President Vladimir Putin would never forget what Turkey did, and Turkey would come to regret it.

“At the same time, transnational and global threats and challenges continue undermining security in and beyond the OSCE region”.

“If anyone thinks Russia’s reaction will be limited to trade sanctions, they are deeply mistaken”, he said.

France’s finance minister is calling for tougher rules on imports of art works as part of efforts to dry up financing for the Islamic State group. Kerry acknowledged that airstrikes alone would not be enough. “Terrorism, organized crime, climate change and the current migration crisis require urgent, resolute and coordinated response from all of us”, Dacic said in his speech.

“The government of Iraq was of course briefed in advance of Secretary Carter’s announcement”, Kerry told reporters at North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Kerry said Iraqi government is fully briefed on U.S. plans to deploy American special forces to Iraq and the two governments will consult closely on where they will go and what they will do.