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| Arab Nations Vow Help to Fight ISIS ‘as Appropriate’ | Arab Nations Vow Help to Fight ISIS ‘as Appropriate’ |
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| JIDDA, Saudi Arabia — Arab nations vowed on Thursday to “do their share” to confront and ultimately destroy the Sunni extremist group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The promise came after the nations’ foreign ministers met here behind closed doors with Secretary of State John Kerry. | JIDDA, Saudi Arabia — Arab nations vowed on Thursday to “do their share” to confront and ultimately destroy the Sunni extremist group known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The promise came after the nations’ foreign ministers met here behind closed doors with Secretary of State John Kerry. |
| A joint communiqué issued by the United States and 10 Arab states endorsed a broad strategy to stop the flow of volunteers to ISIS, curtail its financing and provide aid to communities that had been “brutalized” by the militants. | A joint communiqué issued by the United States and 10 Arab states endorsed a broad strategy to stop the flow of volunteers to ISIS, curtail its financing and provide aid to communities that had been “brutalized” by the militants. |
| It also called for a coordinated military campaign in which nations would contribute “as appropriate.” | It also called for a coordinated military campaign in which nations would contribute “as appropriate.” |
| Mr. Kerry, who was the only Western foreign minister at the meetings here, sought to use the talks to mobilize support against ISIS, a day after President Obama declared that the United States was prepared to carry out airstrikes in Syria in an effort to degrade and eventually defeat the Sunni militants. | Mr. Kerry, who was the only Western foreign minister at the meetings here, sought to use the talks to mobilize support against ISIS, a day after President Obama declared that the United States was prepared to carry out airstrikes in Syria in an effort to degrade and eventually defeat the Sunni militants. |
| None of the Arab participants said precisely what they would do, and it remained unclear whether any would join the United States in mounting the airstrikes. | None of the Arab participants said precisely what they would do, and it remained unclear whether any would join the United States in mounting the airstrikes. |
| Turkey also took part in the meetings here, but it did not sign the communiqué. A senior State Department official sought to minimize the significance of that development, saying the United States would continue to consult with Turkish officials on how to respond to the threat posed by ISIS, which has captured 49 Turkish diplomats in Iraq and held them hostage. | Turkey also took part in the meetings here, but it did not sign the communiqué. A senior State Department official sought to minimize the significance of that development, saying the United States would continue to consult with Turkish officials on how to respond to the threat posed by ISIS, which has captured 49 Turkish diplomats in Iraq and held them hostage. |
| “We understand the challenging situation Turkey is in given their detained diplomats, and they will make the decision on what role they can play moving forward,” the official said, requesting not to be identified in accordance with the department’s rules for briefing reporters. | “We understand the challenging situation Turkey is in given their detained diplomats, and they will make the decision on what role they can play moving forward,” the official said, requesting not to be identified in accordance with the department’s rules for briefing reporters. |
| Mr. Kerry’s next stop on his coalition-building tour is Ankara, Turkey, which will be followed by a trip to Cairo. In the past, Turkey has expressed concern about arming the opposition in Syria, for fear that the weapons would wind up in the hands of Kurdish militants. | |
| The meetings in Jidda were hosted by Saudi Arabia. American officials said the Saudis have agreed to provide bases for the training of moderate Syrian rebels who are doing battle against both the Sunni militants and the Assad government in Damascus. | The meetings in Jidda were hosted by Saudi Arabia. American officials said the Saudis have agreed to provide bases for the training of moderate Syrian rebels who are doing battle against both the Sunni militants and the Assad government in Damascus. |
| The other participants were the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. | The other participants were the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. |
| “We believe we will beat back the evil” of ISIS, Mr. Kerry said, asserting that the international coalition against the group was growing. | “We believe we will beat back the evil” of ISIS, Mr. Kerry said, asserting that the international coalition against the group was growing. |
| Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister and the only Arab official who spoke to reporters after the talks on Thursday, was the most forward-leaning. | Prince Saud al-Faisal, the Saudi foreign minister and the only Arab official who spoke to reporters after the talks on Thursday, was the most forward-leaning. |
| “There is no limit to what the kingdom can provide,” Prince Saud said. | “There is no limit to what the kingdom can provide,” Prince Saud said. |
| He played down Saudi Arabia’s earlier criticism of Mr. Obama’s decision to refrain from conducting airstrikes in Syria last year, after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons. | He played down Saudi Arabia’s earlier criticism of Mr. Obama’s decision to refrain from conducting airstrikes in Syria last year, after forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons. |
| “I don’t see disagreement,” he said. “I see the agreement about the present situation.” | “I don’t see disagreement,” he said. “I see the agreement about the present situation.” |
| But the prince stopped short of providing specifics about what role his nation would play in facilitating the training of moderate Syrian rebels. | But the prince stopped short of providing specifics about what role his nation would play in facilitating the training of moderate Syrian rebels. |
| The Obama administration is eager to have the campaign against ISIS be seen as a broad international effort that includes prominent Sunni states, rather than as a clash of civilizations that pits the United States against radical Islam. | The Obama administration is eager to have the campaign against ISIS be seen as a broad international effort that includes prominent Sunni states, rather than as a clash of civilizations that pits the United States against radical Islam. |
| American officials said before the closed-door meetings here that Mr. Kerry would ask the Arab states to step up their public condemnations of ISIS and Islamic extremists. | American officials said before the closed-door meetings here that Mr. Kerry would ask the Arab states to step up their public condemnations of ISIS and Islamic extremists. |
| “He’s also going to ask them to use their nationally owned media,” said a senior State Department official who previewed Mr. Kerry’s strategy. Two Middle Eastern news channels, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, were mentioned specifically, the official said, adding that Mr. Kerry would also ask the Arab states to “encourage their religious establishments to speak out against extremism.” | “He’s also going to ask them to use their nationally owned media,” said a senior State Department official who previewed Mr. Kerry’s strategy. Two Middle Eastern news channels, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, were mentioned specifically, the official said, adding that Mr. Kerry would also ask the Arab states to “encourage their religious establishments to speak out against extremism.” |
| “This is also going to be an ask of the Egyptians, to have the sheikh of Al-Azhar and the Dar al-Ifta, their major Islamic seats of learning, to speak out against ISIL, although they’ve already done some of that,” the State Department official said, using an alternative name for ISIS. | “This is also going to be an ask of the Egyptians, to have the sheikh of Al-Azhar and the Dar al-Ifta, their major Islamic seats of learning, to speak out against ISIL, although they’ve already done some of that,” the State Department official said, using an alternative name for ISIS. |
| The official said that Mr. Kerry planned to discuss arrangements for training and equipping moderate Syria rebels “in some detail” with the Saudis. | The official said that Mr. Kerry planned to discuss arrangements for training and equipping moderate Syria rebels “in some detail” with the Saudis. |
| The communiqué issued after the meeting addressed these points, though it did so in general and sometimes elliptical terms. It declared the signatories’ determination to “stand united” against ISIS and other terrorist groups, and praised the formation of the new “inclusive Iraqi government.” | The communiqué issued after the meeting addressed these points, though it did so in general and sometimes elliptical terms. It declared the signatories’ determination to “stand united” against ISIS and other terrorist groups, and praised the formation of the new “inclusive Iraqi government.” |
| The communiqué said that the participants had discussed a strategy to “destroy” ISIS “wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria.” | The communiqué said that the participants had discussed a strategy to “destroy” ISIS “wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria.” |
| It said steps would be taken to stop the flow of foreign fighters and money to ISIS, repudiate the group’s “hateful ideology” and provide aid to rebuild affected communities. | It said steps would be taken to stop the flow of foreign fighters and money to ISIS, repudiate the group’s “hateful ideology” and provide aid to rebuild affected communities. |
| The communiqué made no explicit mention of training Syrian rebels; rather, it said that the signatories would join “in the many aspects of a coordinated military campaign.” | The communiqué made no explicit mention of training Syrian rebels; rather, it said that the signatories would join “in the many aspects of a coordinated military campaign.” |