LOC19:37
16:37 GMT
BRUSSELS, June 4 (KUNA) -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressed Foreign Ministers of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS on Thursday at a meeting co-chaired by Italy and the United States and held via video-conference, according to a NATO press release.
"We have made enormous progress.
"Daesh (ISIS) has lost control of the territories it once held; but the threat of terrorism remains," he said.
"That is exactly why NATO continues to support the international fight against terrorism and is ready to further step up its efforts," he stated.
Stoltenberg noted that in February, NATO Defence Ministers took the decision to enhance NATO's training mission in Iraq and they also agreed to look at what more NATO can do in the wider Middle East region, adding that "we remain committed to these decisions".
"COVID-19 and the security situation have impacted our operations; and NATO's train and advice mission (in Iraq) has been partially paused, but we are now rebuilding our capacity and activities," said the NATO chief.
He stressed that the objective remains the same: "building self-sustaining Iraqi Security Forces, able to prevent the return of Daesh (ISIS), stabilize their country, and fight terrorism."
More than 35 Foreign Ministers attended the virtual meeting. (end)
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