G-20 host Turkey says fight against terrorism should be at forefront

BELEK, Turkey — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged world leaders on Saturday to prioritise the fight against terrorism as they gather for a summit in Turkey, saying attacks in Paris claimed by the Daesh terror group showed the time for words was now over.

At least 127 people were killed as bombers and gunmen went on a deadly rampage at locations across the French capital overnight, targeting a concert hall, restaurants, bars and a sports stadium.

"We are now at a point where words end in the fight against terrorism. We are now at a stage where this should be put at the forefront," Erdogan told reporters ahead of a two-day summit of leaders from the Group of 20 major economies (G-20) that begins on Sunday.

The killings, the worst bloodshed in France since the end of World War II, are set to cast a shadow over the summit in the coastal province of Antalya, due to be attended by leaders from countries including the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Canada, Australia and Brazil.

Although the G-20 usually focuses on economic issues, insecurity in the Middle East and global security were already expected to be on the agenda. Erdogan said on Wednesday he wanted leaders to discuss the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.

French President Francois Hollande, who has declared a state of emergency, told Erdogan by phone that he would not attend the summit, but that France's finance and foreign ministers would be there, according to Turkish presidential sources. All other leaders, including US President Barack Obama and Britain's David Cameron, were expected to attend.

"These attacks are not only against the French people but all humanity, democracy, freedoms and universal values," Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's office said in a statement.

"Turkey is in full cooperation with France and other allied countries in the fight against terrorism ... and we will fight with full determination," the statement said.

Turkey's battles

Erdogan condemned the Paris killings and pointed to Turkey's own long battle with domestic security threats, which include its fight with Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in its southeast and recent bomb attacks linked to Daesh.

The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. But Ankara has been concerned by US support for Kurdish rebels in Syria who are fighting Daesh but who Turkey says have close PKK ties.

Erdogan is expected to discuss the issue with US President Barack Obama at the G-20 summit, officials said.

"Terrorism has no nationality or religion. All terrorism is bad, we must leave aside the feeling that our terrorist is bad and your terrorist is good," Erdogan said.

Turkey, which has a 900-km border with Syria, opened its air bases in July to the US-led coalition against Daesh. Last month more than 100 people were killed at a pro-Kurdish rally in Ankara by two suicide bombers linked to the radicals, the worst attack of its kind on Turkish soil.

Critics say Turkey woke up late to the threat posed by Daesh. The NATO member country has been criticised for failing to do more in the earlier stages of Syria's war to stop foreign militants crossing its territory and joining the ranks of Daesh, a charge Ankara denies.

Following January's attacks in Paris by gunmen on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the wife of one of the gunmen fled through Turkey to Daesh-controlled Syria.

Turkey stepped up its fight against Daesh in July as part of what it called a synchronised war on terror, a wider campaign which has also seen air strikes and military action against PKK fighters in Turkey and northern Iraq.

On Friday night Turkish jets pounded PKK targets in the Kandil mountains of northern Iraq, where the group's headquarters are located.

Selahattin Demirtas, the co-leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition HDP, said the Paris attacks were a result of the world's failure to act decisively against Daesh.