NATO chief, French president discuss security challenges, Warsaw Summit. Stoltenberg thanked France for its contributions to NATO's deployment in the Aegean Sea

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday discussed current security challenges and the Alliance's agenda for the Warsaw Summit with French President Francois Hollande in Paris, said an NATO statement here.

 
Commending France for being "a strong NATO ally" at a joint press conference, Stoltenberg thanked France for its contributions to NATO's deployment in the Aegean Sea to stem illegal migration and for its important role in the global coalition against so-called Islamic State.
 
Both leaders reviewed the Alliance's agenda for the Warsaw Summit, including plans to enhance NATO's forward presence in the eastern part of the Alliance.
 
"Defense and dialogue are the two tracks of NATO's approach to Russia, and we are moving forward on both tracks," Stoltenberg added.
 
The leaders discussed how NATO could do more to "project stability" in the Alliance's neighborhood by working with partners to build their ability to defend themselves.
 
They also addressed the Alliance's plans to take cooperation with the European Union to the next level at the Warsaw Summit, according to the statement.
  [Xinhua -globaltimes.cn]
3/6/16
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