New US Defense Secretary, NATO Chief Discuss Iraq, Afghanistan - Pentagon

Faizan Hashmi Published January 23, 2021 | 04:20 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2021) New US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in his first foreign call discussed with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the need for alliance's "strong deterrence" and its missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said.

"The two leaders discussed the importance of our shared values, the current security environment including maintaining a strong NATO deterrence and defense posture, and the ongoing missions in Afghanistan and Iraq," Kirby said.

The spokesperson added that the call is Austin's first made to a foreign leader as Defense Secretary - an act that reinforces the importance of NATO to the United States.

"They also briefly reviewed the upcoming NATO Defense Ministerial and agreed to discuss it again in more detail in the coming weeks," Kirby said.

Austin was confirmed by the Senate in the new position earlier on Friday with 93 lawmakers voting in favor and two against. He served as the head of the US Central Command before retiring in 2016.