Mattis Meets With Turkish Defense Minister in Brussels

Mattis Meets With Turkish Defense Minister in Brussels 02/16/2017 08:19 AM CST Defense Secretary Jim Mattis meets with Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 15, 2017. DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Mattis Meets With Turkish Defense Minister in Brussels DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2017 — In a meeting with his Turkish counterpart on the sidelines of a NATO defense ministers conference in Brussels yesterday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recognized Turkey's contributions to the alliance and welcomed a transparent dialogue with an ally facing significant threats -- within and outside its borders, a spokesperson for Mattis said in a statement. Strategic Partnership Navy Cmdr. Sarah Higgins said Mattis also assured Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Işik of the support of the United States as a strategic partner in the campaign to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The secretary and minister agreed to continue their full range of bilateral defense activities and consultations, and to look for ways to further strengthen defense cooperation in the future, Higgins added. Mattis is in Brussels to attend the defense ministers conference and to meet with partners in the coalition countering ISIS. He also will attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany during this overseas trip. Related Biographies Jim Mattis Jim Mattis   Defense