Bishop heads to Middle East for IS talks

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will meet with other global leaders in Kuwait to discuss strategies to stop terror group Islamic State.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has gone into damage control over a diplomatic row with China.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop Source: AAP

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is on her way to the Middle East for talks with global leaders about defeating terror group Islamic State.

Ms Bishop will travel to Kuwait for a meeting with other foreign ministers over continuing plans to stop IS, following the group's military collapse in Iraq and Syria.

"(The meeting) is expected to consider continuing efforts to counter ISIL's destructive narrative and its global reach, including into our region," she said in a statement.

The meeting from February 12-14 will be co-chaired by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah.

Iraq declared victory over IS in December, having taken back all the territory captured by the militants, while Syria's army declared victory over the group in November.

While in Kuwait, Ms Bishop will also take part in an international conference on rebuilding Iraq.

She will highlight Australia's efforts in alleviating humanitarian suffering in the war-torn nation.

The Australian government has provided $613 million in response to the Iraq and Syria crises since 2011.

The visit will be Ms Bishop's first trip to Kuwait as foreign minister.


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Published 12 February 2018 3:50am
Updated 12 February 2018 7:16am


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