An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

You have accessed part of a historical collection on defense.gov. Some of the information contained within may be outdated and links may not function. Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions.
Immediate Release

Readout of Secretary Mattis' Bilateral Meeting with Turkish Minister of Defense Fikri Işik

Secretary of Defense Spokesperson Cmdr. Sarah Higgins provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis met with Turkish Minister of Defense Fikri Işik yesterday on the margins of the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels, Belgium. The secretary recognized Turkey’s contributions to the NATO alliance and welcomed a transparent dialogue with an ally facing significant threats – within and outside its borders. Secretary Mattis assured Minister Işik of the support of the United States as a strategic partner in the counter-ISIS campaign.

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.