Obama vows at G-20 summit to hunt down Paris terrorists

ANTALYA, Turkey — President Obama joined other world leaders for a summit at this Mediterranean resort Sunday, vowing to join French authorities in hunting down the terrorists responsible for the worst attack on Paris since World War II.

"The skies are darkened by the horrific attacks that took place in Paris,” Obama declared after meeting with Turkish President Recep Erdogan ahead of the opening of a two-day meeting of leaders representing the world's top 20 economies. "We stand in solidarity with them in hunting down the perpetrators of this crime and bringing them to justice.”

“The killing of innocent people based on a twisted ideology is not just an attack on France, not just an attack on Ankara, but an attack on the civilized world," Obama said, referring to Friday night's Paris attacks that killed 129 people, and bombings in the Turkish capital in October that killed more than 100.

Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for 35 minutes off to the sides of the summit, the White House said. The two leaders mentioned the progress in Syria talks in Vienna, including the areas of agreement outlined in the International Syria Support Group's statement of Nov. 14.

"Specifically, President Obama and President Putin agreed on the need for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition, which would be proceeded by U.N.-mediated negotiations between the Syrian opposition and regime as well as a cease-fire," the White House said. "As the diplomacy continues, President Obama welcomed efforts by all nations to confront the terrorist group ISIL and noted the importance of Russia's military efforts in Syria focusing on the group."

France launches massive strike against ISIL in Syria as manhunt intensifies

Obama said he and Erdogan, the summit's host, discussed fortifying the borders between Syria and Turkey, redoubling efforts to bring about a peaceful end to the four-year civil war in Syria and eliminating the Islamic State, the radical group that claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks.

The Syrian war has unleashed millions of refugees, most winding up in Turkey and raising concerns that Islamic State terrorists may be among those crossing into Turkey and migrating from there to Western Europe. That concern has been heightened by the discovery of a Syrian passport near the body of one of the Paris terrorists.

Obama said the United States stands with Turkey and Europe in reducing the flow of migrants there. Hundreds of thousands of them have entered Europe this year.

The terrorist attacks served as a somber backdrop for the Group of 20 summit, which was created during the 2008 financial crisis to focus on global economic concerns.

Erdogan welcomed each leader to Antalya. They then posed for a group photograph, where a visibly drawn French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius took the place of President François Hollande, who canceled his trip to deal with the aftermath of the attacks. The summit is taking place at a heavily guarded luxury resort.

Others attending include leaders from China, Japan, major European countries, Brazil and Saudi Arabia. In addition to terrorism, the war in Syria and the migrant crisis, the group planned to discuss trade, climate change, financial regulation and changes to the International Monetary Fund.

Obama met in the afternoon with Saudi King Salman. The White House said they "committed to redouble efforts to defeat" the Islamic State and that they agreed on the need for a ceasefire and political transition in Syria.