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| David Cameron: global pressure growing on Isis | David Cameron: global pressure growing on Isis |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has claimed “the pace is quickening and the pressure growing” in the global war against Islamic State as he praised Turkey for launching anti-Isis air strikes and opening its air bases to coalition forces. | |
| The prime minister vowed Britain was willing to take immediate action in Syria or Libya to protect threatened British interests, but did not suggest it was on the verge of launching air strikes in Libya. | The prime minister vowed Britain was willing to take immediate action in Syria or Libya to protect threatened British interests, but did not suggest it was on the verge of launching air strikes in Libya. |
| Reports suggested Cameron was willing to back air strikes on Isis training camps in Libya that may have been used as a base to train militants involved in the massacre of 30 UK tourists in Tunisia. Instead, Cameron indicated he was focusing on trying to develop a UN-backed government of national unity in Libya. | Reports suggested Cameron was willing to back air strikes on Isis training camps in Libya that may have been used as a base to train militants involved in the massacre of 30 UK tourists in Tunisia. Instead, Cameron indicated he was focusing on trying to develop a UN-backed government of national unity in Libya. |
| Cameron spoke with the Turkish prime minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, at the weekend after Turkey, in a major diplomatic volte-face, agreed to launch air strikes in an attempt to create safe zones in northern Syria. | |
| There is suspicion that the Turks are using the new military posture as cover to launch a fresh crackdown on Kurds, ending an effective ceasefire that has held since 2013. British officials deny there has been any deal involving US access to Turkish air bases in return for turning a blind eye to an assault on the Kurds. | There is suspicion that the Turks are using the new military posture as cover to launch a fresh crackdown on Kurds, ending an effective ceasefire that has held since 2013. British officials deny there has been any deal involving US access to Turkish air bases in return for turning a blind eye to an assault on the Kurds. |
| Speaking on a plane to Indonesia on Monday at the start of a four-day mission to south-east Asia, Cameron said: “It is good that Turkey is stepping up its action against Isil [Isis] and Isil targets. I think there is more we can do in terms of cooperation on counter-terrorism, particularly stopping foreign fighters from going through Turkey into Syria. Frankly, what is happening, the pace is quickening and the pressure is growing on Isil, and you will soon see what the Turks are doing. Britain is keeping up the pace ... and we are all working to put the squeeze on Isil, which has to be degraded and then destroyed.” | |
| He also made it clear, as had the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, that he did not want the Turks to shift the focus of the attack to an assault on the Kurds in northern Syria, or Iraq. | |
| Asked if he was concerned about the actions against the Kurds, he said: “We want the focus to be on Isil. It is important that Turkey made these steps and we will encourage them to do that.” | |
| The Kurds have been some of the most effective fighters against Isis in both countries, but the US also want to access the Incirlik base in Turkey 60 miles from the Syrian border as this would allow the US to keep planes above Syrian skies for longer. | The Kurds have been some of the most effective fighters against Isis in both countries, but the US also want to access the Incirlik base in Turkey 60 miles from the Syrian border as this would allow the US to keep planes above Syrian skies for longer. |
| Turkey believes the Kurds are carving out their own state in northern Syria and that would encourage separatist sentiments among its own Kurdish population. The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has repeatedly said that would be a red line for Turkey. Turkish officials have previously blamed US air strikes for helping the Kurds gain ground from Isis. | |
| Turkey’s fear is that Syrian Kurds or Isis could drive out those opposition groups from the area – and control the important border crossing of Kilis. | Turkey’s fear is that Syrian Kurds or Isis could drive out those opposition groups from the area – and control the important border crossing of Kilis. |
| Privately British officials are hoping the military squeeze may even have an impact on the political stability of Syria’s president, Bashir al-Assad, now in control mainly of western Syria, and it may persuade Iran and Russia to tell him that he needs to stand aside as part of a wider political transition. | |
| Cameron also said Britain was willing to act if there was an imminent threat to UK interests from Libya, but insisted his chief focus was a stable government of national unity. He added that the UK was working with its partners to help with the new Libyan government as it gets formed, helping with advice, support and capacity building in their government departments. | Cameron also said Britain was willing to act if there was an imminent threat to UK interests from Libya, but insisted his chief focus was a stable government of national unity. He added that the UK was working with its partners to help with the new Libyan government as it gets formed, helping with advice, support and capacity building in their government departments. |
| “The problem in Libya is that they have not had a government that has been able to deliver that is our focus. That is why British are training with military personnel.” | “The problem in Libya is that they have not had a government that has been able to deliver that is our focus. That is why British are training with military personnel.” |
| But he added: “If there is a threat to Britain, to our people, to our streets and we are able to stop it by taking immediate action against that threat then as prime minister I will always want to try to take action against that threat, and that is the case if the problem is emanating from Libya or Syria or anywhere else,” | But he added: “If there is a threat to Britain, to our people, to our streets and we are able to stop it by taking immediate action against that threat then as prime minister I will always want to try to take action against that threat, and that is the case if the problem is emanating from Libya or Syria or anywhere else,” |
| The attempt to form a government of national unity has been dogged by factional disputes, and most recently the refusal of the Tripoli based government to participate. Isis has tried to use the political vacuum to establish itself, but faced by a predominantly Sunni population is struggling to do so outside a small number of towns. | The attempt to form a government of national unity has been dogged by factional disputes, and most recently the refusal of the Tripoli based government to participate. Isis has tried to use the political vacuum to establish itself, but faced by a predominantly Sunni population is struggling to do so outside a small number of towns. |
| But in an admission of how little the west knows of what is happening in the remoter corners of Libya, the US is seeking permission from neighbouring countries to launch drones to provide higher grade intelligence. | But in an admission of how little the west knows of what is happening in the remoter corners of Libya, the US is seeking permission from neighbouring countries to launch drones to provide higher grade intelligence. |
| In Indonesia, the first stop on a four-country tour that also takes in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, Cameron will also holds talks on the Islamic extremist threat. The threat posed by Isis will be discussed with Indonesia’s president, Jokowi Widodo, and later in the trip with the Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak, amid fears the group is seeking to establish a stronghold in the region. | |
| Isis and other terror groups have been pumping out propaganda in local languages and their support is thought to be growing. About 500 people from Indonesia – which has the world’s largest Muslim population – and 200 from Malaysia are thought to have joined Isis in Iraq and Syria. | |
| There have been fears about the release of Islamist terrorists locked up in Indonesia following the Bali bombing and in a sign of the growing influence of the group, Indonesian extremist leader Abu Bakar Bashir has pledged allegiance to Isis. | There have been fears about the release of Islamist terrorists locked up in Indonesia following the Bali bombing and in a sign of the growing influence of the group, Indonesian extremist leader Abu Bakar Bashir has pledged allegiance to Isis. |
| Speaking to reporters on the flight to Indonesia, Cameron said counter-terrorism would be “a big agenda item” on the trip. | Speaking to reporters on the flight to Indonesia, Cameron said counter-terrorism would be “a big agenda item” on the trip. |
| He asked: “What can we do to cooperate together, what can we learn from moderate Muslim states like Indonesia and Malaysia, what can we help with in terms of counter-terrorism training and policing, how we can cooperate to keep our people safe?” | |
| Cameron is also due to discuss climate change and trade deals. | Cameron is also due to discuss climate change and trade deals. |