WASHINGTON, June 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Tuesday held talks with visiting Canadian Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay over bilateral defense cooperation and shared security challenges.
During their meeting at the Pentagon, the two "discussed a wide range of topics related to their mutual interest in some of the world's ongoing security challenges," including the Syria crisis, Iran's nuclear program, and the Korean Peninsula situation, Pentagon spokesman George Little said in a statement.
The two defense chiefs also discussed NATO's transfer of security responsibility to Afghan security forces in Afghanistan on Tuesday, and Hagel praised Canada for being "an instrumental partner" in the NATO-led coalition in that country.
"Secretary Hagel conveyed his deep appreciation for the significant contributions Canadian troops have made in order to help Afghanistan assume full responsibility for their country's security by the end of 2014," said the statement.
Hagel told MacKay that he looks forward to receiving the latter's invitation to attend the Halifax International Security Forum to be held in Halifax, Canada, in November this year, the statement added.
Tuesday's meeting was the second Hagel has held with his Canadian counterpart at the Pentagon since taking office earlier this year.
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