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                     Paris Attacks to Top G-20 Discussions

   by Luis Ramirez

   President Barack Obama arrived Sunday in the Turkish Mediterranean
   resort of Antalya for a meeting of G-20 leaders where Friday's attacks
   in France were set to dominate the agenda.

   The talks among leaders of the world's 20 biggest economies are
   scheduled to focus on trade, energy and the environment. But those
   issues, although on the formal agenda, were to take second stage behind
   the need to step up the fight against the Islamic State militant group,
   which claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks.

   The attacks also were expected to push along and consolidate efforts to
   resolve the conflict in Syria.
   'Useful opportunity'

   Hours before the attacks occurred, U.S. National Security Advisor Susan
   Rice said the G-20 would be a "useful opportunity" for key leaders to
   concert efforts on Syria. But she cautioned against expectations for
   any breakthroughs.

   "I don't think anyone expects a single outcome that all of a sudden
   readily resolves all of these difficult issues. We're looking to try to
   use these venues to make incremental progress toward the objectives we
   all seek," Rice said.

   Just before departing the White House, Obama met with his national
   security team and got an intelligence assessment.

   Analysts say Obama is compelled to step up the campaign against the
   Islamic State group, and the two-day summit provides a chance for him
   to huddle with leaders of other nations who are also battling the
   group.

   A number of G-20 nations are taking part in the fight against IS, and
   discussions on the matter were expected to take place during the
   two-day meeting.

   French President Francois Hollande canceled his plans to attend the
   meeting immediately after Friday's attacks.

   Meeting with Erdogan

   One of Obama's first meetings in Antalya is with Turkish President
   Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan, a key partner in the fight against the Islamic
   State terrorists.
   For months, Turkish security forces have been stepping up their raids
   against what officials say are Islamic State cells, mainly in the
   southeast of Turkey near Turkey's borders with Syria and Iraq.

   The Turkish government was at first reluctant to participate in
   U.S.-led efforts against the militants, but has since allowed the U.S.
   to launch attacks from bases in Turkey and has carried out bombing
   campaigns of its own.

   Another complicated relationship for Obama is Russia, which continues
   to support the Assad government as Washington calls for Assad to leave
   power. No meetings were scheduled between the U.S. leader and Russian
   President Vladimir Putin at the G-20, but analysts said the attacks in
   Paris opened a new opportunity for the two sides to work in a common
   effort against the militants.
   Syria connection

   A meeting of foreign ministers in Vienna ahead of the G-20 appeared to
   set the stage for new cooperation despite differences. U.S.Secretary of
   State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a joint
   news conference Saturday, said the U.N.has agreed to bring the Syrian
   government and the opposition together at a meeting, and a cease-fire
   is expected within six months.

   The coordinated attacks in Paris show that "it doesn't matter if you're
   for Assad or against him," said Lavrov. "ISIS is your enemy."

   The G-20 summit is taking place amid high security, with 12,000 Turkish
   soldiers and police deployed around the resort as leaders and top
   officials of the G-20 and other nations arrived, along with 3,000
   journalists.

   Turkish military officials said they had put in place a 24-hour air
   defense system over the area during the two-day meeting.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/paris-attacks-to-top-g-20-discussions/3058732.html