New focus on Syria combat contributions

Australia's Defence Minister Marise Payne concedes there will be a new focus on further contributions in Syria, as France launches fresh bombings.

Any Australian peacekeeping role in Syria is some way off and would need to be considered in the "cold, harsh light of day", Defence Minister Marise Payne says.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has flagged the potential for Australian peacekeepers after a foreign ministers meeting in Vienna signalled hope for a resolution to the conflict.

But Senator Payne told ABC radio on Monday there was a "very, very complex" political process to play out before the government considered sending troops into the country.

However she conceded the terrorist attacks in Paris would focus attention on whether more needed to be done in the fight against Islamic State in the Middle East.

Any decision to enhance efforts would be made in conjunction with security and defence officials and the Iraqi government, Senator Payne said.

Australia was already the second largest contributor to the US-led coalition seeking to drive IS out of Iraq and Syria.

The minister's comments came as French warplanes pounded the IS stronghold in Syria's Raqa, destroying a command post and a training camp.

"The raid ... including 10 fighter jets, was launched simultaneously from the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Twenty bombs were dropped," the French defence statement said on Sunday.

The operation, carried out in co-ordination with US forces, struck a command centre, recruitment centre for jihadists, a munitions depot and a training camp for fighters.

The Vienna meeting led to a renewed commitment to a political solution, which has been taken up by US President Barack Obama and Russia's Vladimir Putin, who met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in the Turkish city of Antalya.

While the US supported Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attending the talks, Russian officials objected to Australia's attendance effectively vetoing her role.

No explanation has been given for the veto, but the foreign minister has made a series of inflammatory comments about Russia over the MH17 disaster.

Comment is being sought from Ms Bishop.

A second round of talks is due to be held in the next month.

Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, says Mr Turnbull is right to argue that ultimately a political solution is necessary to bring peace to Syria.

But that was not remotely in sight.

"Peace will be possible only after Islamic State has been militarily defeated," he writes in The Australian on Monday.

Despite a need for a redoubling of the air campaign concentrating on destroying the group's leadership, he concedes an increase in military effort is also unlikely.

"The White House has closed its mind to anything but a token military effort.

"That won't change unless Islamic State pulls off a Paris-style attack in a US city."


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Source: AAP


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