Hollande plans attacks against IS in Syria

This Main Focus from Euro|Topics offers English (+ French and German) translations of a selections of articles in European news sources on this topic.

The articles in this Main Focus published on the 8 September 2015 suggested that French President François Hollande had reversed his stance in foreign policy and was considering ordering airstrikes against IS targets in Syria.

The French president said that reconnaissance flights would start as early as the 8 September 2015 and in coordination with the US-led coalition fighting the IS group, which included the United Kingdom.

The Socialist president ruled out sending ground forces to Syria, saying such a move would be 'ineffective and unrealistic'.

Hollande was simply trying to cast himself as a political man of action, some commentators criticised. Others saw his initiative as a way of tackling the migration crisis at its roots.

The United Kingdom also paved the way for air strikes against Isis targets in Syria on the 7 September 2015.

Analysts said the move was too late in the game and not enough to ensure the impact Hollande and Cameron were hoping for.

In a further Euro|Topics feature issued on the 9 September 2015 it was said that in the debate on a solution to the Syria conflict more and more voices in Europe are calling for cooperation with Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in the fight against the IS. The foreign ministers of Austria and Spain, among others, called on the 7 September 2015 for negotiations with him. There was no alternative to cooperation with Assad, some commentators concurred. Others saw such deliberations as mere games that won't alleviate the refugees' suffering.

French reconnaissance flights had indicated that air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria would be necessary, President François Hollande said on the 14 September 2015.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: US: Russian action in Syria could increase refugee flows http://www.europeansources.info/record/us-russian-action-in-syria-could-increase-refugee-flows/

ESO: Background information: France reluctant to host large numbers of refugees http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-reluctant-to-host-large-numbers-of-refugees/

France: Embassy of France in London: News, 07.09.15: France and UK discuss Syria and EU response to refugees http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/President-and-UK-PM-discuss-Syria-and-EU-response-to-refugees

France24, 08.09.15: France considers air strikes against IS group in Syria, rules out ground troops http://www.france24.com/en/20150907-france-air-strikes-reconnaissance-flights-syria-hollande-press-conference-military

UK: GOV.UK: FCO: ISIL: UK government response https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/isil-uk-government-response--3

The Local.fr, 07.09.15: France and UK's Syria move 'too little, too late' http://www.thelocal.fr/20150907/france-and-uk-reads-to-up-stakes-in-syria

Euro|Topics: Main Focus, 09.09.15: With Assad against the IS? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER169472-With-Assad-against-the-IS

The Local.fr, 10.09.15: Has France got a ‘kill-list’ in Syria like Britain? http://www.thelocal.fr/20150910/has-france-got-a-kill-list-in-syria-like-the-uk

Euro|Topics: Who's saying what: No peace without Assad? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/debatten/links-2015-03-assad/

De Telegraaf, 10.09.15: No cooperation with cruel dictator (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE169523-No-cooperation-with-cruel-dictator

ECFR: Commentary, 11.09.15: ECFR Syria expert gives evidence to parliament http://www.ecfr.eu/article/ecfr_syria_expert_gives_evidence_to_parliament

France24, 14.09.15: French air strikes 'necessary' against IS group in Syria, Hollande says http://www.france24.com/en/20150914-french-air-strikes-necessary-against-isis-islamic-state-group-syria-hollande

Deutsche Welle, 27.09.15: Hollande: 'More anti-IS airstrikes soon' http://dw.com/p/1GeIo

France24, 27.09.15: France bombs IS group training camp in Syria http://www.france24.com/en/20150927-france-launches-air-strikes-against-group-syria

Politico, 27.09.15: France launches airstrikes in Syria http://www.politico.eu/article/france-launches-airstrikes-in-syria-isil-daesh-iraq-hollande/

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