(VOVworld)- The G20 summit opened in the Turkish city of Antalya on Sunday. After the “brutal and cowardly” attacks in Paris, the summit is expected to end with stronger commitments to fighting terrorism.
Although trade cooperation, energy, the environment, Syria, the migrant crisis in Europe and tensions in the East Sea were supposed to be the main agenda of the summit, terror attacks in Paris last Friday changed the focus. Participants were urged to reach a consensus on fighting terrorism.
Prior to the G20 summit, an international conference on Syria was convened in Vienna, Austria, where participants agreed that the government and opposition forces should meet no later than January, 2016, and an election should be held in Syria within the next 18 months. The 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council agreed on the need for a Syrian ceasefire resolution. Conference participants agreed to meet again in January to evaluate efforts toward establishing a nationwide ceasefire and accelerate the political transition in Syria. These moves are the first step in coping with political crisis in Syria, which is a stronghold of the Islamic State. The outcomes of the conference together with strong anti-terrorism messages from countries worldwide after terror attacks in Paris show that people around the world are well aware of the importance of joining efforts to fight terrorism.
US-led air strikes against IS have been launched in Syria but a lack of consensus among members of the coalition has impeded the operation. A disagreement between the West and Russia about the future of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad is making the fight against IS in Syria more difficult. A divided Syria produced an opportunity for IS. Conflicts in Syria have resulted in a growing number of people fleeing to Europe. Among the migrants, many can be extreme terrorists. Brutal attacks around the world since the beginning of the year and terror attacks in Paris last Friday are evidence of the brutality of terrorism. In this situation, countries leading the fight against terrorism need to change their ways and be more united.