WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of Defense James Mattis called NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Monday, as well as his counterparts in the UK and Canada, the Pentagon said. "The two leaders discussed the importance of our shared values, and the secretary emphasized that when looking for allies to help defend these values, the United States always starts with Europe," Spokesperson Jeff Davis said in a statement.
"Both pledged to consult in the months to come and look forward to meeting in person during the NATO Defense Ministerial in February," he added.
In a call with Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan, Mattis "reinforced the vital importance of US and Canadian commitment to North American defense," and stressed the "indispensable partnership with Canada across the spectrum of bilateral and multilateral security issues," including the fight against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, Davis affirmed.
With his UK counterpart Michael Fallon, Mattis expressed his gratitude for the UK's commitment to contribute two percent of its GDP to defense, and for its dedication to the coalition to fight IS, Davis said. (end) ys.gta