New York leaders’ summit on Tony Abbott’s terror agenda

Tony Abbott is considering visiting New York in September to attend Barack Obama’s leaders’ summit on terrorism.

Tony Abbott is considering visiting New York in September to attend US President Barack Obama’s leaders’ summit on countering violent extremism and foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria.

The Prime Minister is likely to attend the summit as pressure grows within Asia and Europe for the US to take more direct action against Islamic State strongholds in Syria and Iraq.

Talks are already under way between Australian and US military officials about expanding activities in Iraq and there are public calls in Washington for more air attacks on Islamic State forces.

Britain flagged that it would consider airstrikes in Syria next month and in September after a terrorist attack in Tunisia last month killed 30 Britons.

Mr Obama is holding a
three-day counter-terrorism meeting this week for US state and federal leaders and several foreign ministers on how to counter radicalisation and
choke the supply of foreign fighters to Syria and Iraq.

The White House has also announced Mr Obama’s intention to host a summit of world leaders on countering violent terrorism, in New York in September, as the UN General Assembly sittings begin.

Mr Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attended New York meetings last year as Australia pre-deployed troops and aircraft to the Middle East in preparation for airstrikes in Iraq against Islamic State.

Mr Abbott told the UN that Islamic State terrorists and foreign fighters who had joined them posed a threat to all nations, at home and abroad.

He said in his first address there as Prime Minister that there were “darkening times” in the world, including “the murderous rage of ISIL in Syria and Iraq”.

Since last year’s summit, Attorney-General George Brandis has attended a meeting in Washington and hosted a regional summit in Australia.