OTTAWA -- North America's defence bosses will meet at the Pentagon Friday to discuss Libya and Afghanistan.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay and U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta will hold a bilateral meeting at the U.S. defence headquarters in Arlington, Va. They are expected to hold a press conference at 2:15 p.m.
They have never met privately before.
"Our defence relationship with the U.S. is unique in the world. Our binational command in NORAD, as well as the daily operation between our military and defence teams is a tangible demonstration of how we stand shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the defence of North America and in addressing common global challenges," MacKay said in a statement Friday. "We are proud to work alongside our U.S. friends in the Americas, in Libya, in Afghanistan, and as transatlantic partners of NATO."
A top priority for the talks is the NATO mission in Libya and that North African country's future.
Panetta, recently the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, has only held the defence post since July, months after the Libyan NATO mission began.
MacKay is expected to bring Panetta up to speed on Canada's efforts in Afghanistan, particularly the nearly six years Canadian Forces spent in the insurgent-rich south, and highlight Canada's new training mission in that country, which is expected to last until 2014.
