Rice, Carter meet with NATO chief on transatlantic security

3/27/2015 5:22:29 AM

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) US National Security Advisor Susan Rice and Defense Secretary Ash Carter held separate meetings on Thursday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss transatlantic security issues and other shared international interests.

Rice and Stoltenberg reviewed the status of NATO's Readiness Action plans that, "will bolster collective defense within the alliance," and discussed the recent decision to maintain 10,000 US troops in Afghanistan, according to a statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan.

They also spoke on commitments made in the 2014 Wales Summit and plans for the 2016 NATO Summit.

Rice, "thanked the NATO Secretary General for his strong leadership of the alliance at a critical period for European security, and was pleased to convey the President's invitation for him to visit in May." A Pentagon statement elaborated on Carter's meeting and said the two leaders discussed "the importance of the common values shared by the allies and the secretary (Carter) emphasized that when we look for allies to help defend these values, we always start with Europe." "He expressed appreciation for allied participation in both NATO and US assurance efforts in Europe and stressed the importance he places on allies following up on their summit commitment to strive towards spending two percent of GDP on defense." Finally, the two highlighted their continued support by allies in the Resolute Support Mission and pledged to consult in the months to come in preparation for the June ministerial.

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