The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Strong response pledged
US President Barack Obama called the violence an “attack on the civilised world” and Russian President Vladimir Putin urged “global efforts” to confront the threat.
But beyond the tough talk and calls for action, there was little indication of how leaders intended to escalate the assault on the extremist group.
The attacks in the heart of Europe – combined with e a r l i e r incidents in Lebanon and Turkey, as well as the downing of a Russian airliner in Egypt - suggest IS militants are reaching beyond their base in Iraq and Syria, an expansion the West has feared.
“The skies have been darkened by the horrific attacks that took place in Paris,” Mr Obama said shortly after arriving inAntalya, a seaside resort city just a few hundred miles from the Syrian border.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the summit host, pledged leaders would produce a “strong message” about fighting in terrorism, though he did not spell out specific steps.
Mr Putin urged nations to pool their efforts to combat terrorism, adding the fight must respect international law, the UN Charter andeachnation’s sovereign rights. “We understand that it’s only possible to deal with the terror threat and help millions of people who lost their homes by combiningefforts of theentire global community,” Mr Putin said.