WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2018 — Defense Secretary James N.
Mattis met with French Minister of Defense Florence Parly yesterday during the
Munich Security Conference, chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana W. White said in a
readout of the meeting.
The defense secretary and Parly agreed on the need for a
strong stance against the threat posed by the Iranian ballistic missile program
and the need to address Iran's proliferation of ballistic missiles to
terrorists and militants, White said.
Mattis thanked the defense minister for French leadership in
counterterrorism operations in Africa and the Levant, which have been critical
for restoring stability, she said. He reiterated the global coalition must
remain focused on the fight to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and
keep pressure on the remnants of the terrorist organization to ensure they do
not regroup, White said.
The defense secretary also stressed that a strong Europe is
a better security partner, but that E.U. defense initiatives should complement,
not compete with NATO, she said.
Mattis thanked Parly for France's contributions to global
security, White said, and the two leaders agreed to continue strengthening
U.S.-French defense cooperation.
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