US, Belgian defence ministers meet

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel met Tuesday at the Pentagon with Belgium's Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Pieter De Crem during which they discussed several issues of mutual interest. Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a statement that Hagel "praised the key role Belgium continues to play in supporting security efforts in several regions of the world." Belgium has pledged security assistance funding and agreed to train security forces in Afghanistan, supporting stability efforts post-2014, according to the statement. In addition, Belgium "demonstrates its commitment to maintaining peace and security in Africa, through participation in bilateral, European Union and United Nations missions in Mali, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo." Hagel and De Crem also discussed "the situation in Syria, noting the importance of the international community's efforts to work together to secure and destroy Syria's chemical weapons." Hagel also thanked the Belgian minister "for his unwavering support on transatlantic security issues. "The leaders expressed their commitment to maintaining the close defense relationship shared by the United States and Belgium," the statement added