LOC11:14
08:14 GMT
PARIS, Nov 27 (KUNA) -- France is totally determined to destroy the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist group, responsible for bloody attacks in several countries, and there is now a common objective to eradicate ISIL among major world players, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Friday.
Upon his return from Moscow and talks between President Francois Hollande and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Fabius told "RTL" radio that there was progress with the Russians on how to target terrorist groups in Syria, and especially how to avoid hitting non-terrorist or moderate opposition fighters.
President Hollande has been carrying out a marathon diplomatic initiative to try to galvanise the fight against ISIL and he has so far met this week with British, US, German, Italian, Russian and EU leaders for this purpose.
Even if there are divergences with the Russians on the future of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, or differing views on other questions, there is agreement on the need to take on ISIL and destroy this organisation, Fabius said.
"Taking things concretely, there is one point where I think everyone is in agreement: the objective to neutralise and eradicate Daesh (ISIL). On this there has been progress, notably in the conversation yesterday with Putin," he indicated.
In addition, he said that President Hollande had received a guarantee that Russia will not bomb moderate opposition forces, which are often fighting ISIL.
"That's what President Putin told us and he even asked us to establish a map of forces who are not terrorists and who are fighting Daesh (ISIL). As soon as we have established this map, which we will do, he has committed not to bomb these. This is very important," the Minister stated.
He also added that US President Barack Obama had also agreed to intensify anti-ISIL operations in Syria and had "for the first time" started striking road tankers transporting ISIL oil by its "mobile pipeline," which France and Russia have also been attacking.
Fabius confirmed that the "primary objective" for France was to overrun the city of Al-Raqqa which is the "nerve centre" of ISIL and from where the terror attacks in France were ordered.
The taking of Al-Raqqa would be achieved through bombings and then by ground forces, but not Western ground forces whose deployment would be "counterproductive," as has been seen historically, he remarked.
"We will not engage ground forces because the major lesson from a number of conflicts in the Middle East is that if there are foreign forces they are quickly considered as occupation forces and this is totally counterproductive," he said
The ground offensive against Al-Raqqa should be carried out by "the Syrian forces from the Free (Syria) Army, Arab Sunni forces and why not Regime forces," he said, adding that "of course" Kurdish forces could also take part.
Fabius again emphasised the need to curb ISIL resources, particularly illegal oil exports which he said have been observed going to Turkey but also to the Syrian Regime.
He said France has "strong suspicions" about the traffic to Turkey, which Russia accused on Thursday of purchasing cut-price oil from Daesh and indirectly supporting the terrorist movement, a claim Turkey immediately denied. (End)
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