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U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) News Release

Pentagon Press Secretary George Little provided the following readout:

Secretary Hagel hosted German Minister of Defense Thomas de Maizière today at the Pentagon. Secretary Hagel commended Germany's leadership in Europe and among the NATO allies.

The two leaders discussed Germany's essential support to allied operations in Afghanistan. Secretary Hagel thanked Germany for its vital leadership within the International Security Assistance Force, particularly its leadership of Regional Command - North. Secretary Hagel also applauded Germany’s recent announcement to continue security support to Afghanistan post-2014 and discussed U.S. considerations for an enduring presence.

Secretary Hagel appreciates Germany for its support to NATO's defensive mission in Turkey along the Syrian border. Germany, the Netherlands, and the U.S. have contributed Patriot anti-missile batteries to augment Turkey's defenses. The mission demonstrates the solidarity of the alliance against common threats.

Finally, the secretary and the minister discussed the future of NATO and the importance of the alliance. Secretary Hagel affirmed that NATO is not only the cornerstone of the transatlantic relationship but also the benchmark for multilateral security cooperation around the world. The leaders discussed ideas for improving NATO’s capabilities and approaches for ensuring NATO remains capable of meeting future security challenges.

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15969