Cameron says offered France use of British airbase in Cyprus

British PM says he will make his case to parliament in the coming days about joining air strikes on Syria

PARIS: British Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday pledged strong support to France in its bid to gain international backing for efforts to crush the Islamic State (IS)  group in the wake of the Paris attacks.

"I firmly support the action President Hollande has taken to strike ISIL in Syria," Cameron said after talks in Paris, using another acronym for IS.

President Hollande and I are united in our determination to defeat the evil death cult, ISIL. pic.twitter.com/LMrGrRE61P

— David Cameron (@David_Cameron) November 23, 2015

"It's my firm conviction that Britain should do so too," he added.
The British leader also said he had offered France the use of a British airbase in Cyprus for air strikes, and assistance with refuelling French jets.

"Today I've offered President Hollande the use of RAF Akrotiri for French aircraft engaged in counter-ISIL operations and additional assistance with air-to-air refuelling," Cameron said in a statement to reporters alongside Hollande, using another term for IS.

Cameron has said he will make his case to the British parliament in the coming days about joining air strikes on Syria.



Hollande said after the early-morning discussions: "We have joint obligations."

Earlier, the two leaders had laid a wreath at the Bataclan concert venue in Paris where terrorist attackers killed 90 people on November 13.

A British man was among the dead at the venue.