Rex Tillerson: "I would not in any way attempt to extrapolate [the attacks] to a change in our policy or our posture relative to our military activities in Syria today." Credit:AP Foreswearing "nation-building or reconstruction", Tillerson denounced IS' "fraudulent caliphate", reiterating the coalition's objective to "demolish and destroy this barbaric terrorist organisation". Arguing that the US had put up three-quarters of military resources in the fight against IS, he said that other countries would have to pony up a greater share to the estimated $US2 billion ($2.6 billion) stabilisation costs for 2017. Urging lasting security gains to thwart IS in the region and globally, Bishop's speech to the summit underscored Australia's role as a major coalition contributor: more than 1000 military personnel, more than 2000 sorties flown, 20,000 Iraqi security force personnel trained and more than $US500 million in humanitarian and stabilisation aid. "We need to help the Iraqi government provide emergency assistance to displaced populations, get them home and restore services," she said.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson talks to Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop during the anti-Islamic State coalition meeting. Credit:AP "There must be national and local level reconciliation to overcome past divisions and deliver inclusive governance. The law must be applied equally and justly to all citizens. "Pursuing policies that promote economic growth and job creation are also key to countering alienation and reducing the allure of extremism. Creating a stable governance environment and competitive economies is critical to attracting the private sector investment necessary for driving economic prosperity and job opportunities." There was little detail on the "interim stability zones" proposed by Tillerson, but officials explained that, instead of areas protected by coalition air cover, the objective was to stabilise the area sufficiently from which IS had been cleared to enable refugees and others displaced within Iraq and Syria to return. Alluding to the battle to retake the Iraqi city of Mosul, Bishop spoke of an opportunity for the displaced to return to their homes.

"We have to defeat ISIS [Islamic State] and maintain the peace - there are numerous options on the table," she said. Revised Pentagon planning since Donald Trump became President calls for a significant rise in American military trainers and advisers in Syria - and for them to operate more closely to the front lines than under the Obama administration. "I recognise there are many pressing challenges in the Middle East, but defeating ISIS is the United States' number one goal in the region," Tillerson said. "When everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. We must continue to keep our focus on the most urgent matter at hand." Despite challenges in the immediate fight and all the uncertainties of a post-combat phase, a statement by the foreign ministers attending the summit was upbeat.

"We reiterate our commitment to an integrated, multidimensional, and comprehensive approach to defeat ISIS and its global networks, fully recognising this will require sustained, focused efforts," it said. "Overall, the number of ISIS fighters has been reduced by half. They have been scattered in Libya and pressed on multiple fronts elsewhere, including Afghanistan and Africa. Outside of Iraq and Syria, we have put greater pressure on ISIS' branches and global networks." Depicting an IS denied sanctuary in the region and thwarted in dispersing its fighters, weapons, or resources within Iraq, Syria and beyond, it undertook to help liberated communities recover from the damage and suffering inflicted by IS. "We underscore the need for safeguarding civilians, as well as full and immediate humanitarian access, especially for UN agencies and their partners, in order to address the basic needs of the communities liberated from ISIS, as well as displaced persons and others in need in besieged and hard-to-reach areas of Syria." However, Bishop set down markers on more work to be done.

"Regional countries must de-escalate tensions and stop pursuing proxy conflicts, particularly in Syria, to further their geo-political objectives," she told the summit. "We are not doing enough to counter the perverse ideas and narrative of ISIS. Our challenge is to ensure these ideas are pushed to the fringes of our societies - there must be more Muslim moderate voices drowning out the extremists." Brett McGurk, the US Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter Islamic State, said earlier this month that the defeat of IS was "now in sight" - in the past two years, more than 50,000 square kilometres of territory had been won back in Iraq and Syria. Tillerson seemed to agree, but nonetheless was wary. "Hard-fought victories in Iraq and Syria have swung the momentum in our coalition's favour, but we must increase the intensity of our efforts to solidify our gains in the next phase of the counter-ISIS fight. "Degradation of ISIS is not the end goal," he said. "We must defeat ISIS."