Panetta Meets With Kuwait’s Amir, Stresses Strong Relationship

American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 11, 2012 – In a meeting with Kuwait’s amir in Kuwait City today, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta expressed strong confidence in the longstanding U.S.-Kuwaiti defense relationship and in the ability of both countries to work together to address common security challenges in the Gulf region and beyond. Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement that in the meeting with Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah, Panetta underscored the importance the U.S. defense strategy places on the Middle East, and commended the emir for Kuwait's leadership role in fostering peace and security in the region. The secretary and the amir also discussed the crisis in Syria, the problem of cyber threats, and Kuwait's recently completed parliamentary elections and ongoing commitment to the rule of law, Little added. Panetta’s first official visit to Kuwait is also the first for a U.S. defense secretary in five years.