Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel spoke via telephone with French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian today. Secretary Hagel and Minister Le Drian last met in Paris during the D-Day commemorations on June 7.
Secretary Hagel provided Minister Le Drian an update on the situation in Iraq, to include the political dynamics in Baghdad and a general sense of the security environment. Secretary Hagel and Minister Le Drian also discussed the deep U.S.-French defense cooperation in Africa, as well as preparations for the NATO Summit in Wales in September.
The two leaders agreed to keep in close contact on this broad range of security issues, and to speak again soon.