PARIS (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Paris meeting with French officials to go over plans to respond to last week's attacks and bring an end to the conflict in Syria.

Kerry began Tuesday by meeting with diplomats from the U.S. Embassy to thank them for their service. Later, he will see French President Francois Hollande and Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

Kerry told embassy staffers that the bonds between the United States and France are stronger than ever and that Friday's attacks were an assault on civilization and common decency.

"This is just raw terror," he said, vowing that the campaign against the Islamic State group will succeed. "We will end the scourge of Daesh," he said, referring to the group by its Arabic acronym.