Readout of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel's meeting with Mexican Minister of Defense General Salvador Cienfuegos

Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel met today with Mexican Minister of Defense General Salvador Cienfuegos. The two leaders met in Peru on the sidelines of the 11th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, an important forum for the discussion of Western Hemispheric defense and security issues. Secretary Hagel thanked the minister for his leadership and praised Mexico's military capabilities, especially its disaster relief expertise. Both leaders agreed that our bilateral defense relationship is enjoying an unprecedented level of cooperation. Secretary Hagel and General Cienfuegos acknowledged the strong personal interest their two presidents are taking in this relationship. The Secretary pledged to continue the close dialogue and to look for ways to work closely together with Mexican defense and military leaders.