Mattis Reaffirms Bilateral Relationship With United Kingdom

By Alltimepost.com

WASHINGTON — United States Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Thursday noted his intent to keep the special relationship between the U.S. and the United Kingdom uniquely close.
This he will do by actively tending to and showing it remains a cornerstone of the nation’s security and defense policy, a spokesperson for Mattis, Navy Cmdr. Sarah Higgins said in a statement.
According to the statement, Mattis gave the indication in a meeting with his British counterpart on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers conference in Brussels on Thursday,
Sustained Leadership
Navy Cmdr. Sarah Higgins said Mattis also thanked Defense Secretary Michael Fallon for his country’s sustained leadership in NATO, acknowledged the United Kingdom’s increased defense spending, and discussed opportunities to adapt the alliance in response to increased threats.
The two leaders pledged to continue their dialogue on shared security interests and on their nations’ bilateral defense agenda, Higgins added.
Mattis is in Brussels to attend the defense ministers conference and to meet with partners in the coalition countering the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. He also will attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany during this oversea trip.