WASHINGTON –
Defense Secretary Ash Carter today discussed the effort to
counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant with his British and French
counterparts on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels,
Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, Cook said Carter,
British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon and French Defense Minister Jean-Yves
Le Drian discussed the latest progress in the counter-ISIL campaign in Iraq and
Syria.
“The secretary thanked Secretary Fallon and Minister Le Drian
for their countries’ generous contributions to the counter-ISIL campaign, while
emphasizing that all coalition partners must continue to accelerate their
efforts in Iraq and Syria,” the press secretary said. The defense leaders also
discussed recent progress against ISIL in Libya, and agreed on the importance
of supporting the Government of National Accord, he added.
In addition, Carter thanked Fallon and Le Drian for their
words of condolence in the wake of the June 123 tragedy in Orlando, Florida, Cook
said.